Meeting the Kumada Family
by MissChaChaFirecracker
Summary: Rei and all her friends meet Yuuichirou's family for the first time. His family is not what anyone expected.
1. Letters

This is the first chapter of the first story that I have ever written. I have always wanted to see Rei and Yuuichirou end up together so here's something that I came up with to fill the empty void the show left. I hope all of you like it.

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese, so please forgive any misuse on the honorifics and I do not own Sailor Moon, which this story is very loosely based.

Chapter 1

**Letters**

Rei yawned as she mindlessly chopped vegetables. She normally didn't mind making diner, but today she was also too tired to stand up, let alone pick up a knife. Autumn had arrived a few days ago with its pleasant weather, and unpleasant fallen leaves. Rei spent a majority of the day with a broom in her hands ridding the shrine of the orange and red that sprinkled the ground. After she had finished, she went to her room before making diner when she discovered that Usagi had somehow managed to sneak into her house and find her secret hiding place for her manga. A fight inevitably ensued, then the chase. It was baffling to her that Usagi, the laziest person she knew, could run so fast, especially when it meant the new Sailor V manga was on the line. By the time Rei finally tackled Usagi and wrestled the comic from her fingers, they had practically destroyed Rei's bedroom and living room, and had run around the entire shrine three times screaming all the while. When the two had finished putting the house back together, it was already time for Rei to make diner. Usagi would have stayed with the prospects of food, but she already had a date with Mamoru.

Rei stood in the kitchen, knife in hand, fully exhausted. She had just started on the carrots when Yuuichirou walked in. He had spent most of the day retiling the roof and had developed a slight sunburn on his arms, nose and cheeks. The sunburn on his arms was pretty unnoticeable, but the burn on the face gave him the look of someone constantly blushing. A smile spread its way across Rei's face.

"Wow Yuuichirou-kan, nice face! That's the same look you had when you walked into the girl's bathroom by accident at the amusement park. What'd ya do this time?" Rei teased as Yuuichirou walked to the sink and washed his hands.

"You'll never let that go you will you?" Yuuichirou asked with a slight smile on his face. Rei just laughed and shook her head, focusing her attention back on the carrots. Yuuichirou let out a chuckle as he picked up another knife and started helping Rei.

Yuuichirou would sometimes help Rei make dinner if he finished his chores early enough. He liked helping out in the kitchen: he was able to stand side-by-side with Rei without being yelled at. Rei secretly enjoyed his company in the kitchen. He was a surprisingly good cook. But even more than that, he would always start humming when he cooked. Sometimes she would even sing along softly so that only someone standing right next to her could hear. Yuuichirou always got a wave of joy deep in his soul when he heard her sing. He had always wanted to tell her, but he was never sure if her singing was meant to be heard by him. In the end, Yuuichirou would keep his mouth shut and hum, while Rei sang. This would be the only interaction between the two. But not tonight.

"I nearly fell off the roof today," Yuuichirou began, not taking his eyes off the carrots. "I was about to nail in a tile when I heard this scream from underneath me and then the whole house started shaking, like there was an earthquake of something. It freaked me out, actually. Then, I heard the door slam open and what do I see?" Yuuichirou paused and looked sideways at Rei.

She had long since stopped chopping and was now looking at him with a look that showed that she knew exactly where this story was going.

Yuuichirou grinned and continued, "You and Usagi running around the shrine like crazy people." Yuuichirou chuckled and Rei was infuriated. "I liked your tackle, by the way. I nearly died when I saw it, literally. I was laughing so hard that I almost rolled off the roof." Rei blushed. "You should be a pro football player. I think you have a lot of potential," Yuuichirou teased laughingly.

"I wish you had fallen off that roof," Rei scowled. She didn't know that anyone was watching the fight and it seemed silly to her now. She was so bitter about being seen that she accidentally cut her index finger with the knife as she was chopping the carrots.

"Ow!" Rei shrieked. She looked at her hand and gasped. There was blood running down it.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?" Yuuichirou asked with concern written all over his face, taking a look at her injured hand. He didn't wait for a response. In a second, she was in front of the sink, with her hand under cool running water, while Yuuichirou hurried to get the first aid kit. In another second, he was back, bandage in hand.

Yuuichirou turned off the water and was now inspecting her finger.

"Baka! This is entirely your fault!" Rei whined. Yuuichirou picked up the bandage and started to gently put it on her finger.

"Thank God it's only a small cut. It only looked bad from all the blood, but this should heal up well," Yuuichirou said, ignoring Rei's hostilities. Rei whimpered quietly as Yuuichirou finished putting the bandage on.

Rei stared at her hand and continued to pout. Yuuichirou just looked at her and he couldn't help but smile. _God, she's so adorable, it's unbelievable_, he thought. Yuuichirou didn't let go of her hand and he didn't want to. Rei looked up and met Yuuichirou's eyes. She was slightly taken aback by his look. He would sometimes give her this look when he thought she wasn't looking and it would always make her feel like she was something special to him. But this time, there was something else and she couldn't figure it out. They continued to look at each other, her hand in his, when Grandpa walked in.

"What are you two doing?" he asked. The sound of his voice brought both of them back to reality. Rei ripped her hand out of his and jumped back five feet, blushing. Yuuichirou jus looked down at his feet, but he too was blushing.

"N-nothing," Rei stuttered. _What's wrong with me?_

"Riiiight," Grandpa said, an all-knowing grin on his face. "Anyway, I got the mail and there's a letter for you, Yuuichirou." He held up a letter.

"Thanks, Grandpa," Yuuichirou said as he picked up the letter.

"You're welcome. Continue with your nothing, you two," Grandpa called over his shoulder as his shoulder as he was already leaving the kitchen. Rei went back to blushing.

Yuuichirou let out an agonized groan when he took a good look at the letter.

"What's wrong, Yuuichirou? Who's the letter from?" Rei asked.

"No one, don't worry about it," Yuuichirou said hurriedly, stuffing the letter in his pocket. He immediately began cleaning the bloody mess on the counter.

"It wasn't from no one, Yuuichirou. Look at you! You're all nervous and you won't even look at me. This person is obviously someone," Rei said, trying to get him to turn and look at her.

He finally stopped cleaning and turned to her. She had a concerned look on her face, showing exactly how she felt. He let out a sigh.

"It's nothing, really," he replied calmly. He picked up her hand with the bandaged finger. "I appreciate your concern." He looked at her hand and noticed the red stain through the bandage. "Why don't you go set the table, and then go relax on the couch while I finish up here. You look exhausted. Besides, I don't think it's such a good idea that you be handling food with a bloody finger. At least now we know that you can't be trusted with a knife," he teased. Rei could only smile meekly.

"Alright," she replied. For the second time in five minutes, she slipped her hand out of his. After setting the table, she sat down on the couch, but she couldn't relax. She was too worried about Yuuichirou. _What could possibly freak him out so much? Why wouldn't he tell her?_ So many thoughts ran through her head that she didn't even notice all the amazing food on the table and the two men sitting in the other chairs at the table. _I'm sure I'm just overreacting_, Rei thought.

Twenty minutes later, everyone had eaten and Rei began clearing the table when Yuuichirou stopped her.

"I'll take care of this, Rei-chan," Yuuichirou said, taking the plates from her hand. "You've been yawning all through diner and you're about ready to fall over."

"No, no. I'm fine," Rei protested, but her yawn betrayed her.

"That settles it." Yuuichirou put the dirty dishes on the table, tuned Rei around and guided her to her bedroom. He opened the door for her and nudged her in. Rei turned around in the middle of the room and smiled weakly at Yuuichirou.

"Goodnight, Rei-chan."

"Goodnight, Yuuichirou-kun."

The second Rei's head hit the pillow, she was asleep. That night, she dreamed about letters.


	2. Disappiontments

Part 2 of my amazing (hopefully) story. It's not as long as the first, but the story is coming along.

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese, so please forgive any misuse on the honorifics and I do not own Sailor Moon, which this story is very loosely based.

Chapter 2

**Disappointments**

"So what'd you think is in that letter?" Makoto asked.

Rei had explained the entire event to her friends the next day at the Crown Arcade and on the way to her house. The five girls were now scattered around Rei's room.

"I have absolutely no idea. I've never seen him like this," Rei replied.

"This is rather odd," Ami commented as she put her book on the table. "He's always so calm. I wonder what's gotten into him. When we walked past him earlier, he looked like he had a lot on his mind."

"Yeah, he didn't even say hi to me when I waved at him," pouted Usagi, swallowing her third muffin that Makoto had brought from home. She actually looked hurt by this.

"Well, I know one thing Rei-chan could do to clear his head," said Minako playfully, as she lay on her back on Rei's bed. This earned her a pillow in the face. Both Usagi and Makoto laughed. Ami blushed.

"I guess I deserved that, but thanks for the pillow, Rei-chan," Minako laughed. Rei rolled her eyes. Her friends were always teasing her about Yuuichirou, especially Usagi.

_Thank God she's stuffing her face with Mako-chan's muffins right now, or Usagi would be having a field day, _Rei thought.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. It slid opened ajar and a head with long brown hair peaked through.

"Hey guys," Yuuichirou said, "I know you don't like it when I interrupt your little gatherings, but I was wondering if all of you could come to the living room for a sec. I have something important to tell you guys. All of you." With that, he pulled his head out of the crack and shut the door gently. Five sets of eyes blinked.

"This probably has something to do with the letter," Ami thought out loud as everyone started to get up.

"Or maybe he's going to profess his undying love for Rei-chan," teased Usagi this time, making Mina burst into laughter. The two high-fived.

_Dammit, why couldn't Mako-chan make more muffins! _ Rei screamed in her head. She shot the blondes dirty looks and fumed out of her bedroom and walked into the living room while the others followed. She didn't want to speak to Usagi, or Mina for that matter, so she sat at the end of the couch, as far away from the two as possible. Makoto and Ami separated them.

Rei instantly forgot her anger as she looked up at Yuuichirou. He was standing up in front of the couch, one arm crossed and biting his fingernails on his free hand. He looked up, feeling someone watching him and met Rei's eyes. He looked nervous. He broke their gaze by beginning to pace.

Rei turned to her friends. They saw what happened as well.

"What was that?" Makoto mouthed.

"Maybe he's just nervous about. . ." Minako couldn't finish her sentence, for a second pillow found its way to her face.

At that moment, Grandpa walked in, stopping any kind of fight that would have most likely occurred. He took his place on his favorite arm chair and winked at Rei's friends, sending fire up Rei's veins. He turned to Yuuichirou and said, "Alright, Yuuichirou. What's your big news?"

Yuuichirou stopped pacing and turned to face his audience, completely oblivious to whatever had just happened in the same room. He ruffled his hair with the same hand he was chewing on.

"As you all know, I got a letter last night. And don't pretend that you guys don't know," Yuuichirou said, pointing at the four girls he didn't live with. "We all know that Rei tells you guys everything." Rei blushed. Yuuichirou continued, "Anyway, it was from my parents."

"Are you kidding me, Yuuichirou-kun?" Rei almost screamed. "You had me all worried and it turns out that you just got a dumb letter from your _parents_!"

"You don't understand, Rei-chan," Yuuichirou replied calmly. "My father owns one of the largest computer manufacturing companies in Japan. My father worked hard to have the life he has now and my parents have what they believe is a perfect life, except that they have me for a son."

It was obvious to anyone a mile away the sound of disappointment that saturated his voice. No one could hide their sympathetic look from their face, which only made Yuuichirou feel even more pathetic. Now that Rei thought about it, she couldn't remember the last time Yuuichirou got a letter from his parents. _Was it new years?_ Rei thought.

As Rei continued her thoughts, Usagi got up and walked over to Yuuichirou. She placed a hand on his shoulders and said, "You're a good person Yuuichirou-chan. Anyone would be happy to call you their son. Or their friend. You're parents would have to be crazy to think that you're a disappointment."

Yuuichirou looked up at her and smiled softly. _She always knows the just how to cheer someone up._ Of all Rei's friends, she was his favorite: she was funny and a bit flaky and, at times like this, she was the sweetest and most understanding person he knew.

"Thanks, Usagi-san, but you don't have to be that nice. The truth hurts and I just have to live with it," replied Yuuichirou.

"But she's right, Yuuichirou," Grandpa interrupted. All heads turned to him. "I love having you around the shrine. You are always so reliable when it comes to the chores and the shrine or taking care of me and Rei. It's nice having another man around the house. It gets kinda crazy around here with all these girls," he pointed at all the girls sitting on the couch, "You're like the son I never had."

All the girls smiled and Yuuichirou blushed. "You really mean that, Grandpa?" he asked.

Grandpa just nodded, but the look on Yuuichirou's face was undeniably happy. Then he remembered the contents of his letter.

"Anyway, the thing is, my parents haven't seen me in years. That's the reason they sent me the letter in the first place." Yuuichirou pulled out the letter from his back pocket. "They want to see me, to see if I'm alright, but," Yuuichirou paused. "They really want to 'meet the people that have taken me in so kindly into their home,'" he read aloud from the letter.

Six pairs of eyebrows rose.

"My parents would love to see the shrine and where I've spent all these years, but it seems that my parents' friends want to see me too. Actually, everyone my parents know wants to see me. So I guess what I'm trying to say is. . ." Yuuichirou took a deep breath, "would you all come with me to my parents' house?"


	3. Traveling

So this is another chapter to my first story ever. For those people who have already reviewed my first 2 chapters thank you so much. You really motivated me and it really got my creative juices going. You guys rock!

Chapter 3

**Traveling**

"I'd love to go, Yuuichirou!" the two blondes cried.

"But we don't even live with you, Yuuichirou. Why would you want to bring us," Makoto asked, indicating Ami, Usagi, Minako, and herself.

"Because I see you guys over here so much that it feels like you do," Yuuichirou replied. "Besides, I figured if I had more people over, my parents would be less inclined to insult me. They are very polite whenever they have guests over. And, it will give me some brownie points for bringing a group of beautiful girls along with me," Yuuichirou added as a side note. He hoped his flattery had persuaded them to come. All the girls blushed.

"If your parents want to meet us all, then we would all be happy to go," Grandpa stated. With that, he got up and left the living room.

"I wish they had asked you in the winter. I really want to go skiing," Usagi whined lightly. Everyone agreed, except Rei. She had yet to say a word.

Rei couldn't believe what was happening. _Yuuichirou never mentions his parents and now, all the sudden, they were going over to his house? His parents house, actually._ It was almost inconceivable.

"Skiing? What are you talking about?" Yuuichirou asked, thoroughly confused.

"Your house in the mountains, remember? You took us there to go skiing. Man, Yuuichirou, you must have been away from home for too long if you can't even remember your own house," laughed Minako.

"Oh yeah, that's right. We aren't going to the house in the mountains," Yuuichirou replied. "Sorry I didn't mention that before. My parents mostly live in the outskirts of Tokyo around this time of year. They only go to the mountains when it's winter. You guys are lucky, actually. The house is beautiful this time of year. It's my mom's favorite house as well as her favorite season so she's gonna be in a good mood. If she could, she'd stay in that house all the time, but my dad is the one that wants to switch houses every now and then. He likes the change in scenery." Yuuichirou was rambling. Talking about his home made him nostalgic. He didn't notice five jaws lying on the floor.

Later that day, Rei lay on her bed contemplating what had just happened. Everyone had already gone home, eager to ask their parents' permission to go on the much anticipated trip. The day and the length of their departure were already set and everyone was excited for the school break to come. They had decided to leave this upcoming Friday and stay for the week. Everyone was excited to go, expect Rei. She didn't want to meet Yuuichirou's parents. She was reluctant to meet the people who made Yuuichirou so uneasy. If that was how they treated their own son, then she could only imagine how they would treat other people. She was not looking forward to it.

She let out a sigh. _Oh well,_ Rei thought. _I'll do this for Yuuichirou. This is the first time he's ever really asked me to do something for him and I'll do it. I'll even help make his parents see that Yuuichirou is a good person._ Rei stopped dead in her tracks. Had she really just thought that? But she found that she really meant it. She let out another sigh. _At least all my friends will be there, _Rei continued her train of thought. Then she thought about Usagi.

_Yuuichirou's doomed._

Friday had approached all too soon for Rei and Yuuichirou, and not soon enough for everyone else. Rei sat in class, mindlessly tapping her pen on the desk, watching the seconds on the clock count down to the start of an awful week. The bell rang.

Whoops and hollers came from all around her, celebrating the week-long break of school. Rei began packing her things.

"Come on, Rei-chan! Let's get the heck out of here!" called Rei's friend, Mai, at the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Rei replied with a smile. At least some of her friends were excited about the week. Rei picked up her bag and headed towards the entrance of the school with Mia.

"So what are you doing for the break? You still haven't told me. I thought we were friends?" Mai faked a tear at the last statement. Rei rolled her eyes at her. She had met Mai a few years ago and Mai loved to tease her. It was nice being friends with her, since her other friends went to different schools.

Rei hadn't told her about her plans because she had hoped that they would magically go away. But it hadn't. Now it was Friday and she really couldn't get out of it, so she explained to Mai what she was doing for the week.

"Well, that sounds like fun, actually," Mai remarked. "Honestly, Rei, I don't know what you're so afraid of. It's not like they're gonna whack you. Wait, are they? Because, you've been kinda mean to him all these years. You better watch out, Rei-chan." Mai was laughing at her own joke. Her sarcasm cut Rei like a knife.

They had just walked out of the school, when a tall man carrying a small bag came jogging up to them. He had short brown hair and wore jeans and a t-shirt.

"Rei-chan, hey! I came here just in time. I was around the block earlier and I figured I could walk home with you," the tall man panted, face filled with eagerness.

"Yuuichirou-kun?" Rei stammered. _This can't be him,_ she thought.

"What? You don't recognize me?" Yuuichirou laughed.

He was only teasing her, but Rei really didn't. This wasn't the Yuuichirou she knew. This Yuuichirou looked completely different. This man standing in front of her had short hair for one thing. It was shorter than Ami's and it flowed gently over his forehead, showing off his brown eyes. But she recognized those eyes. Sometimes, he'd bush his hair out of his face and she'd see them. She also noticed that he hadn't shaved either, which gave him a rugged look.

"I got a haircut today down the street. I figured that since we're going to see my parents, I should look presentable," Yuuichirou explained.

"Well, Yuuichirou, you succeeded. You look _hot_!" Mai said impressed. Yuuichirou blushed, putting his free hand on the back of his head. Rei shot Mai a death glare.

"Thanks, Mai-san. By the way, I almost forgot." Yuuichirou reached into the small bag he was carrying and pulled out a long red ribbon. "When I was in the barber shop, I saw a girl wearing one of these in her hair and I thought of you. I thought it would look pretty on you."

Rei looked at the ribbon dangling in his hand. It was a deep red. It looked so delicate, yet sturdy at the same time. She ran her fingers through the material, gently pulling it out of his hand.

"It's beautiful, Yuuichirou-kun. Thank you," Rei said in awe. She began to toy with it. She never usually wore ribbons but this one was the prettiest one she'd seen. Even prettier than the ones Minako would wear in her hair.

"You're welcome," Yuuichirou replied, watching her play with her new ribbon. "We'd better get going though, Rei-chan," Yuuichirou suddenly realized, looking at his watch. "We have to meet everyone at the train station before the train leaves. We don't want to be late."

"You're right," Rei said, packing her ribbon gently in her bag.

"Wait, you guys are leaving today?" Mai asked shocked. She got nods from two people. "Oh, I was hoping Rei and I could hang out after school, but it's alright. I get it. You two want to get a jump start on your week." Mai nudged Rei in the ribs. Both faces began turning the shade of Rei's ribbon. "So, Yuuichirou, you're finally bringing Rein home to meet your parents?"

"It's not like that, Mai!" Rei shouted. She turned to Yuuichirou and began pushing him in the direction of the shrine. "We have to go. Like you said, we don't want to be late. See you later, Mai-chan!" Rei called over her shoulder.

Rei could hear Mai laughing on the school steps.

The two walked in silence. Yuuichirou would sometimes walk Rei home from school if he had errands to do in town. This was one of Yuuichirou's favorite things to do. Whenever he saw her walk out of school and see him, his day would instantly brighten. As they walk down the street together, he would see other men look at Rei, and although it would make him insanely jealous, he would get a new level of high when they looked at him with envy. He couldn't help but fantasize that they were really a couple.

They eventually reached the shrine. Grandpa was waiting patiently for them, bags and tickets ready to go. As soon as Rei changed out of her school uniform, they left for the train station.

An hour later, the train and its passengers zoomed through Tokyo. All of Rei's friends commented on Yuuichirou's hair. When they looked at him they all seemed close to drooling, except for Ami. The second the train left the station, her book was only a few inches from her face.

Rei stared out the window, watching the buildings pass by. _This is going to be one long week, _she thought.


	4. First Impressions

Sorry about the last chapter guys. When I'm typing the story, I tend to use "Chad" instead of "Yuuichirou" because it is a lot easier to type and I'm not Japanese. The last chapter I forgot to change the American name for the real one, so sorry about the confusion everyone. I feel like a dumb ass. I'll try not to make the same mistake twice.

Chapter 4

**First Impressions**

The train finally stopped in its desired location. The group got off, luggage in tow. As they exited the station, they noticed an older man clad in a nice suit with balding hair standing erect next to a rather large car. The second he saw the group, his appearance brightened and he walked over to meet them.

"Kumada-san, it's a pleasure to have you back home," he said looking directly at Yuuichirou.

"Kamin-san! It's been such a long time!" Yuuichirou exclaimed, dropping his bags and putting his hands on the gentleman's shoulders, beaming. "Everyone, this is Kamin-san. He had been our driver for as long as I can remember. He was the one who took me to school every day and would listen to me whenever I had a bad day. He's an old friend."

Kamin positively beamed during the introduction.

"Yes, I have watched Kumada-kun grow up into a fine young man." Yuuichirou's smile widened. Yuuichirou took this time to introduce his old friend to his new ones.

"It's very nice to meet all of you," he said. "Let's get your bags in the car. Your parents are very eager to see you." With that, he picked up the girls' bags and began to walk over to the back of the car.

"Really?" Yuuichirou asked, hurrying to catch up with the man.

"Yes. They are very excited. Your absence has been far too long." Kamin finished loading the bags and had already closed the trunk. He walked over to the back seat and opened the door.

"Ladies first," he said, indicating for girls to get in the car.

One by one, the group entered the vehicle, with Yuuichirou the last one in, closing the door behind him. Kamin then took his place behind the wheel. In a few moments, they were on the road.

"Kamin-san, why did you take this car? You know I hate it," Yuuichirou called to the driver.

"I know, but it's the only one your father has that can fit seven people and all their bags," Kamin called over his shoulder.

Yuuichirou sighed. Everyone else, however, was in awe of their mode of transportation. None had been in a limo before. It was so spacious, filled with twinkling lights on the ceiling, a mini-bar, and a TV.

"Wow, Kumada-kun. Your dad owns a limo?" Minako asked.

"Yeah. He uses this for business meetings and stuff like that. He doesn't really use it that often."

"Why do you hate it, anyway?" Ami asked.

"It's so ostentatious. I hated the looks people gave me whenever I'd take it and does anyone honestly need this huge thing for one person?" Yuuichirou replied.

"I guess you're right," Usagi said.

Aside from Yuuichirou's disdain for their vehicle, the ride was very pleasant. They listened to Kamin talk about the Kumadas and their business. Apparently, nothing much had changed in the years.

"We're here," Kamin finally said after ten minutes. Everyone, except Yuuichirou, leaned over to the window to get a better view. They drove through an elaborate gate that opened as the vehicle got close and drove up a driveway lined with flowers and surrounded by green grass. They stopped right in front of the house. Kamin opened the door for his passengers.

When Yuuichirou finally got out of the limo, he noticed that his guests were staring open-mouthed at his house. He looked up at it for the first time in years.

The house was, for lack of a better word, spectacular. It was the biggest in the district. It had a western, Hollywood-esque look to it.

Yuuichirou walked in front of his friends, obstructing their view. They shifted their gaze to him.  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys about this earlier," Yuuichirou said. "But I never feel comfortable talking about how rich my family is."

Rei understood Yuuichirou's reluctance. Her own father was a business man and when she was seven, he sent her to live at the shrine. She didn't like to talk about him either.

Yuuichirou turned around and faced the mansion. He sighed.

"Let's get this over with."

The entire group walked up to the front door while Kamin got their bags. As they reached the door, a maid opened it before Yuuichirou could ring the bell. The giant door opened to a grand walkway where the seven of them now stood.

A man and a woman stood in the middle of the entrance. Yuuichirou bowed to them.

"Hello mother, father," Yuuichirou said, still bowed.

The woman walked up to him and placed her hand on his head. Yuuichirou looked up.

She had the same shade of brown hair as Yuuichirou and it was pulled up in a nice neat bun. She had delicate features that were made even softer because she was smiling at her son. She gave him a warm hug.

"Welcome home, Yuuichirou-chan," she said softly.

Yuuichirou returned the hug after a moments shock. It had been such a long time since he'd hugged his mother. It reminded him of when he was a child. He shook the memories out of his head.

Yuuichirou's father was now at his wife's side. The two men bowed at each other. "How are you doing, son?"

"I'm good father. I hope you are well," Yuuichirou replied. He then remembered the others. "Why don't I introduce you to my friends?" Yuuichirou turned to them. "Everyone, this is my mother, Kumada Hana, and my father, Kumada Akira." Everyone bowed. Yuuichirou put his hand on Grandpa's shoulders. "Mother, Father, this is Grandpa Hino. He has so graciously taken me in to be an acolyte." He gestured at Rei. "This is his granddaughter, Hino Rei and her friends: Aino Minako, Tsukino Usagi, Mizuno Ami, and Kino Makoto," Yuuichirou said, indicating each girl as he said her name.

"It's very nice to meet all of Yuuichirou-chan's friends," Hana said warmly. "Especially you Hino-san. We greatly appreciate you taking such good care of Yuuichirou."

Grandpa bowed at her again.

"It's been my pleasure," Grandpa replied, eyes twinkling, earning the old man a smile from Hana.

"Why don't we have dinner? You had a long trip over here and you must be hungry," Akira said.

Usagi was thrilled at that idea.

Rei sat on her bed later that night, already in her pajamas.

They had had a nice dinner. The food was delicious and Yuuichirou's parents were kind. They had pleasant conversations throughout dinner, but Akira remained silent for most of it. Hana seemed genuinely interested about the shrine and asked several questions about it. Grandpa had answered them very enthusiastically, happy that someone was interested in his life's work. Chad, however, remained uncomfortable the entire evening. As soon as dinner had finished, Usagi let out a large, unlady-like yawn that immediately resulted in them being sent to bed. Everyone got their own bedroom, with Yuuichirou getting his old bedroom which had remained unchanged from when he lived there.

Rei's room here was larger than the one at the shrine. It was tastefully decorated and contained a large closet and bathroom.

_This doesn't seem that bad_, Rei thought, looking around the room. She fell back on the bed. _Yuuichirou must have been exaggerating about his parents. They seemed like nice people._ She slowly began to close her eyes. She was more tired than she had thought. _This week might actually be fun_. With that thought, she fell asleep.

AN: If you guys are wondering why Yuuichirou is so nervous about his parents, just wait for the next few chapters.


	5. Garden

Continuing with the story, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. I put a lot of fluff in it.

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese, so please forgive any misuse on the honorifics and I do not own Sailor Moon, which this story is very loosely based.

Chapter 5

**Garden**

The next morning was pleasant. Grandpa left early to spend the day at a local shrine. Hana and Akira had to work, but before they left the house, Hana had suggested that Yuuichirou take the girls on a tour of the town. They had seen part of it on the ride from the train station and were eager to see more.

The majority of the day was spent driving across town. Yuuichirou had decided to give Kamin the day off and drive them around himself in his old car. They could hardly fit. He took them to his old school, the park, the country club, and the mall. That was a bad idea. The girls spent hours running around the mall looking at all the shops. He practically had to drag Minako and Usagi out of several stores so that they wouldn't go broke buying all the clothes.

By the time they got back to the house, Yuuichirou was exhausted. _Girls are hard work_, he thought as he watched the girls sitting and laughing on the couch. _How are they not tired?_ He went over and sat next to Ami.

After listening to their conversation for a few minutes, Yuuichirou turned to Ami and asked, "Have you seen my dad's library yet?"

Ami's eyes widened.

"No, I haven't."

"Let me show you." Yuuichirou stood up. "I know you would really like it."

He led the eager girl out of the room.

"He shouldn't have done that," Rei said. "She'll never leave now." Her friends laughed in agreement.

"You know, this is a really nice town," Makoto said. "I wonder why he left this home in the first place."

"I was wondering that too," Usagi said.

"It must have been pretty important for him to just leave," Rei thought aloud. "He left a comfortable life and his parents, so it must have been something big."

"Well, he's got you now, Rei-chan, so it makes up for it," Mina pointed.

Three people laughed. One person glared.

Rei was about to snap at her when Yuuichirou returned. Alone.

"She freaked out when she saw it," Yuuichirou laughed. "She couldn't believe how big my dad's library was. She's in there now, and she's already reading one of his books."

"At least we'll always know where she is," Minako said.

"Yuuichirou-kun, is it alright if we watch a movie?" Makoto asked. "I got lost on my way downstairs this morning and I saw that you have a kick-ass entertainment center in one of the rooms."

"OH! Can we?" Usagi squealed.

Yuuichirou laughed. "Of course. Come on, let's go."

It took the girls a good thirty minutes to agree on a movie and in the end they decided to watch a cheesy action movie about fighting turtles living in the sewer.

As the movie began to play, Yuuichirou leaned over to Rei and whispered, "I really want to show you something."

She looked at him through squinted eyes. It was dark in the room so no one noticed the two's interaction. He was only inches away from her face. It made her heart skip a beat and her breath catch. _He just startled me_, she thought, trying to find an excuse for her reaction. She could only nod her head.

The couple silently snuck out of the room while the girls were completely absorbed in the movie.

Once outside room, Rei asked, "So what did you want to show me?"

Yuuichirou smiled. "It's a surprise."

He led her out of the house to the backyard. They were facing the fountain when he turned to her.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" Rei asked, pointing to the elaborate water display.

"No. I told you, it's a surprise. Now, put this on." He held up a white handkerchief.

"Why?"

"What part of 'surprise' don't you understand?" Yuuichirou shook his head, he was becoming impatient. He folded the handkerchief and put it on her himself. He was surprised she didn't put up a fight. Rei was too shocked at Yuuichirou's boldness to react. His hands were around her head as he tried to securely tie the cloth over her eyes and he couldn't help linger and brush her hair.

_Her hair is so soft, _he thought.

His actions did not go unnoticed. She had felt his hand graze her hair, and she couldn't stop her heart's increased speed for the second time.

He finally put his hands down from her head, only to grab one of her delicate hands. Rei gasped slightly as the electricity from his touch rocketed all over her body. Yuuichirou saw Rei's reaction and grinned, gripping her hand tighter.

"Come on. The surprise awaits."

Rei followed Yuuichirou's lead as they walked through the backyard. They were walking quite a long time and she was beginning to wonder where he was taking her. After a while, she noticed that the ground was becoming rocky and uneven and had to grab on to his upper arm to keep from tripping.

Yuuichirou's smile could have lit up Tokyo. He turned his head sideways and looked at her as they walked. He would have never dared to do this in any other situation. When she caught him looking at her, she would instantly look in the other direction, avoiding any eye contact. Now that she was blindfolded, she didn't see his eyes roaming her face. He could see her delicate features: the cute button nose, the small furrow between her eyebrows that she only got when she was really concentrating on something, her smooth skin, and her lips that curved naturally to a smile. He was lost in her beauty.

When he finally managed to tear his eyes off her face, they had arrived.

"Alright, Rei-chan, we're here," he said, stopping.

"Where are we?"

"You'll see."

Yuuichirou had walked around Rei and began untying her blindfold.

"Are you ready?" he asked before removing the blindfold.

"Yes."

Yuuichirou lowered the blindfold gently and when her eyes finally focused to the scene around her, she gasped.

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. All around her were dazzling colors of every kind. If she hadn't felt the chilling breeze that brushed her skin, she would have thought it was springtime. The sea of flowers had engulfed nearly every inch of land. Its sweet smell hung in the air and played with her nose. The sound of birds chirping and water flowing in the creek played all around. Little animals frolicked in the foliage in the distance. Life was just bursting out of this little patch of heaven. Rei noticed a small swing hanging from a tree branch and a cute little gazebo in the middle of the garden.

"Do you like it?" Yuuichirou asked softly. He was still standing behind Rei.

She whirled to face him, completely glowing.

"This place is gorgeous!"

"I knew you'd like it." Yuuichirou smiled at her happiness. "This was my favorite place growing up. I found it when I was seven. I had just had a fight with my dad and I ran out here. I imagined it to be a kind of wonderland meant only for me. A lot of the flowers were already here, and I thought I could make it look really nice if I fixed it up a bit."

"You made this?" Rei asked, attempting to hold back some of her amazement.

"Yup. I planted more flowers, cleared the weeds, trimmed the shrubs. I got some help from one of the gardeners. He taught me how to take care of the flowers. It looks like he kept up with it." He said, noticing the neatly cut grass. He pointed at the swing. "I built that when I was eight and the gazebo when I was fourteen."

"You built the gazebo?!" She didn't even try to hold back her amazement this time.

Yuuichirou chuckled. "Yeah, it took me a year. I started it when I was thirteen. I had some help from one of my dad's architect friends. I didn't want to buy one because my parents never knew about this place. Besides, this place is mine. I didn't want to use their money."

Rei was utterly baffled. She didn't know he had such self control, discipline and patience. _He built a gazebo when he was fourteen? _She thought. _Then again, I was fighting monsters when I was that age, so compared to that…_

She watched him as he walked slowly through the flowers, gently touching the petals. She began to look at him differently. For such an oaf, he was so gentle and kind, always insisting on doing things himself. She had always known this about him, but it wasn't until she was here listening to him talk about his childhood that she began to realize how deeply those traits were rooted.

"Why don't you give that thing a try?" Yuuichirou's question shook Rei out of her thoughts. She turned around and noticed that she had somehow managed to walk over to the swing.

"It's not gonna fall," He said, noticing her reluctance.

She still didn't get on.

"Look, I'll show you." Yuuichirou jumped on the swing, standing on its seat. He began to swing it violently, making it soar high. He began to laugh playfully.

"Okay, okay. I believe you," Rei cried as she watched.

Yuuichirou laughed again. He pushed harder on the swing, making it go even higher. When it got to its peak, he jumped off.

Rei shrieked.

He landed on his feet with a thud. He straightened up and turned to the startled girl. He posed like a gymnast who had just landed an amazing dismount.

"Ta-da!"

"Baka, you scared the crap out of me!" Rei had run over to him and pushed him.

Yuuichirou only laughed.

"Your turn."

He walked her over to the swing and sat her down. He then walked around her and began to push her. Slowly at first, then gradually harder, sending her higher off the ground.

Rei began to laugh as she gathered speed. She couldn't remember the last time she was on a swing. She enjoyed the feeling of flying as the air whipped past her.

Yuuichirou's own heart was soaring, listening to her laugh.

Rei and Yuuichirou left the garden when it became too dark to see. When they walked into the living room, all the girls (except Ami) looked up at them.

"Where did you two run off to?" Usagi teased.

"Nowhere," the two said.

"Riiiight."

"Your dad called, Yuuichirou-chan," Makoto said. "Your parents can't make it to dinner."

"Now it's starting to feel like home," Yuuichirou said, jumping on the couch and putting his feet on the table. The girls couldn't help but feel sympathetic. "Well, since the parents aren't here, let's order some pizza and eat a bunch of junk food. We'll make a party out of it. What'd ya say?"

"I say, 'Hell yes!'" Makoto cheered.

"Me too!" Minako and Usagi chimed.

"That sounds like fun," Rei said.

"Then it's settled," Yuuichirou said triumphantly.

Several hours later, everyone was sick from massive sugar overload.


	6. Old Friends, New Dresses

Hey everyone! Sorry it took a few weeks to put this chapter up. I've been really busy with school lately so I haven't had much free time to write. Back to back tests suck, that's all I have to say. I made this chapter longer than the others and I added in a lot of fluff. I hope you like it! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese, so please forgive any misuse on the honorifics and I do not own Sailor Moon, which this story is very loosely based.

Chapter 6

**Old Friends, New Dresses**

The next morning was not as pleasant as the last. The passed out group finally began to stir at around noon. The smell of food that wafted up to the room was a warm welcome, however, the sugar hangover was not.

"Whose great idea was it to eat all that crap?" Makoto grumbled, slowly getting up off her spot on the floor.

"Don't blame me," Yuuichirou grumbled back. "I wasn't the one who ate all the ho-hos." He began to get up too.

"Well I thought last night was fun," Usagi said, wide-eyed and bushy tailed. She stretched loudly and jumped to her feet. As the master of junk-food-eating, last night's feast had no effect on her.

"I agree. You guys are just weaklings," Minako said, following Usagi's lead. As Usagi's apprentice, she too felt no affect.

"No, it just means that you two eat too much," Rei muttered. Rei wasn't a junk food fan. Growing up, she never really had it at home, and moving to the shrine didn't really change it. Grandpa was always too busy to get the groceries, so Rei ended up getting the food she was used to. Although Rei had had parties with her friends that were similar to last night; it was nowhere near the same league as last night's. There was trash scattered all over the room. Pizza boxes, wrappers, soda cans, and half eaten food littered the floor, couch, and table. _What room are we in anyway?_ Rei thought. She didn't linger on that question long: thinking took too much effort.

After everyone was sitting, not-so erect, Ami walked in the room holding a tray with several glasses of water.

"Good morning, everyone. Or should I say 'good afternoon.'" She walked over to the table and swiped the table free of trash, only sending it to the floor, and set the tray down.

The night before, Ami had remained in the library until she realized how late it was. When Ami started a good book, she lost all sense in time. She put the book carefully in its place and looked for her friends to apologize for being antisocial. It took her a while to find them, but when she did, they were all too eager to have her join them. Ami ate very little the night before, completely skipping the sickness her friends were now experiencing.

"I got you guys some water," she said, offering a glass to everyone. "You guys must be parched."

"What time did you get up, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked, sipping her water.

"A few hours ago," Ami replied. "I was able to finish my book." She was almost glowing.

_She is such a morning person,_ everyone thought simultaneously.

"Ami-chan, did you go to the kitchen?" Usagi asked. "Is that lunch I smell?"

"Yes. They're putting it on the table soon."

"Usagi, how can you possibly think about food now? After all that food last night," Yuuichirou said a bit repulsed.

"You don't know Usagi," Rei commented.

"Come on guys, seriously. Let's go have lunch!" Usagi cried, ignoring Rei's remark.

Ten minutes later, everyone was dressed, washed, and sitting at the table. Hana walked in and was surprised to see everyone already in their seat.

"Hello," she said. "I thought I'd have to send one of the maids to come and get you. Your little party last night looked fun. Your father's at work already," she said to Yuuichirou. "He has some last minute things to tie up for this deal." She turned to Rei. "Your grandfather is at the shrine again. He left a while ago."

"He must really like that shrine. He was there all day till late last night yesterday and now early today," Ami stated.

"Maybe he found some cute shrine maidens there," Minako said.

Rei glared at her. "Don't talk about Grandpa like that!"

"I'm sure he's just trying to help out his fellow priests," Yuuichirou said, trying to soothe the fired up girl. "The shrine here is rather large. I'm sure they need as much help as possible."

Rei started to calm down.

"Kumada-san, this food is amazing!" Usagi said between mouthfuls. She was too absorbed in her plate to listen to her surroundings.

"Thank you, Tsukino-san. I'll be sure to tell our cook."

"You should try Makoto's cooking. It's just as good as this."

Hana turned to Makoto, eyebrows raised. Makoto almost chocked on her water from the shock of the spotlight.

"Is that true? You must let me try your cooking, Kino-san," Hana said, almost pleadingly.

"I'd love to," Makoto said after recovering. "I've actually been eager to see your kitchen."

"You haven't seen it yet? Well, you can see it after the fitting." Hana took a bite of her bread.

Everyone looked at Makoto, then Hana, confused.

"What fitting?" Makoto asked.

"Oh my goodness! How could I have forgotten? I meant to tell you all last night, but it was so late…" Hana trailed. "Anyway, we're having a ball at the country clubon Friday. We landed a big contract with one of our clients and as a thank you, we are hosting a ball in their honor. All of you must attend. Everyone can finally meet all of you and see Yuuichirou again. Then, you leave on Sunday. The timing couldn't have been more perfect!" Hana was absolutely thrilled. So was everyone else. Except Yuuichirou.

"Wow a real ball!"

"That sounds like so much fun!"

"Is there gonna be waltzing and stuff?"

"Ugh!"

"Yuuichirou, I know you've never really warmed to these kinds of events, but this would be the perfect opportunity to see everyone again and show them how well you're doing," Hana said as the girls turned to look at him.

"Alright, mother. If you say so," Yuuichirou conceded. "I hope it won't be as bad as the last one I went to." Hana began to chuckle.

"There was an old man that got drunk at the last party," Yuuichirou explained. "He got on stage and started singing Journey at the top of his lungs. He got so excited during the guitar solo that he lost his balance and landed on the food table. Food went flying everywhere and people were running and screaming, hoping that the food wouldn't land on them and ruin their outfit."

Everyone laughed.

"Don't worry. Since then, no one's played Journey at any event," Hana smiled though her glass.

"That's too bad. I like Journey," Minako pouted.

Everyone laughed again.

After lunch, Hana went to one of the spare rooms in order to arrange the dresses one of her designers had dropped off. She had ordered several dresses for the girls to try on for the ball and they were now being neatly filed in to the room.

The others waited in the den for her.

The girls sat in a circle, eagerly talking about the upcoming event. Yuuichirou sat in an armchair near them, leaning back listening. _It's so funny how girls love dances so much_, he thought. _What's so special about them anyway?_

"Yuuichirou, what's it gonna be like?" Usagi asked. "Is it gonna be all fancy and everything?"

"It's been a while since I've been to one, but I'm sure it's like all the others. The first time I went to one, I thought I was in a movie. Just everything about it: the people, the dancing, and people's outfits. There was one time when I…"

"Yuu! Look what the cat dragged in!" Two rather tall young men walked in the room, interrupting Yuuichirou.

"My father told me you were back in town and I had to see it for myself," one of them said. He had smooth, neatly brushed blonde hair and blue eyes. Yuuichirou stood up and greeted him with an open hand.

"Looks like you owe me lunch," the other one said. He had curly brown hair, a square jaw and vibrant green eyes. He too took Yuuichirou's hand.

"Were you two betting on whether I'd actually be here?" Yuuichirou frowned, eyebrows raised.

"It's been years, man, and you haven't been back here once," the blonde said. He stuck both hands in his trouser pockets. "Besides, you know I can't turn my back on a good bet." He pulled out a crumpled bill and idly handed it to his companion. He took it listlessly and stuffed it into his pocket. "Yuuichirou, you look good man. A hell of a lot better than I thought you'd look. I didn't think you'd be able to last out there all on your own."

"Who are your friends, Yuu?" Green-eyes asked, finally realizing there were females in the room.

Blonde didn't wait for a reply.

"My name is Yukio. This is my friend Kane," he said, gestured to Green-eyes. They both gave dazzling smiles worthy of toothpaste commercials.

The girls smiled back and introduced themselves.

"So what are you guys doing all the way over here?" Yukio asked, sitting in between Ami and Minako, putting his arms on the back rest behind them. The two girls blushed.

"Yuuichirou invited us over so we could meet his lovely parents," Usagi replied cheerily.

"And how do you like it so far?" Kane asked, sitting next to Rei and Makoto. His hand slightly brushed Rei's bare leg as he sat down and Yuuichirou's face twitched with rage. No one seemed to realize.

"It's quite lovely here," Ami replied. "It's been a very nice visit."

"Well if you ladies ever get bored here, Yukio and I would be more than happy to show you a night out," Kane said with a sideways smile. "I can't really imagine you guys having a great time hanging out with Yuuichirou's parents."

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Yuuichirou said. "Your idea of fun isn't exactly what most people call..." Yuuichirou thought for a second. "Legal."

"That was one time, Yuu, and a long time ago," Yukio replied a bit aggressively. The girls turned to look at each other.

"We aren't that bad," Kane said to Makoto, sensing the unease from them. He gave her another one of his smiles and she couldn't help but smile back. Rei was watching Yuuichirou however. She couldn't understand why he seemed to tense up all of a sudden.

"Girls, dresses are ready."

Hana had walked in unnoticed by all. She now stood behind the couch where everyone but Yuuichirou sat. "Why don't you girls go to the room?" As the girls began to stand, she looked at the two extra boys. "Hello Yukio. Hello Kane. How are you two? It's been a while."

"Fine, ma'am," both said.

"Are you boys coming to the party this Friday?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kane replied. "My parents are really looking forward to it."

"Mine are too," Yukio commented.

"Well that's nice. I'll see you both there." She turned around and guided the girls out of the room. Three sets of eyes watched them go.

As soon as they left, Kane and Yukio turned to Yuuichirou.

"Dude," Yukio said. "Who knew you had it in you!"

"What are you talking about?" Yuuichirou asked.

"You always were the ladies man back in school, but you seriously outdid yourself with those girls," Kane said seriously impressed.

"Those girls are HOT!" Yukio agreed.

Yuuichirou rolled his eyes and rustled his hair. This wasn't the first time anyone had said that to him but it made him uncomfortable every time. He felt protective of them, like they were his sisters. But with Rei, he would feel just plain jealousy. He didn't like any other man looked at her, although could he really blame them?

"Please tell me at least one of them is single," Yukio begged.

"It's your lucky day," Yuuichirou replied quite solemnly. "They all are, except Usagi." Although he wished at least one more of them wasn't.

"No way!" the two said.

"Wait," Kane said, raising his hands. "You're telling me that you're hanging out with them back at where ever it is that you live and you aren't dating one of them?"

Yuuichirou shook his head. He was beginning to get irritated.

"Have you ever?" Yukio asked, a smile appearing in the corner of his lips.

"No."

The two friends started to laugh. Yuuichirou felt like punching one of them in the gut. He'd only been in love with Rei since the moment he laid eyes on her and if he had the chance, he wouldn't hesitate to date her. He could never gather up the courage to actually tell her his feelings and Yukio and Kane were only reminding him of this.

"So you wouldn't mind if we tried?" Yukio asked, with a sly smile.

"Look guys. That's probably not a good idea," Yuuichirou began. "They aren't the kind of girls that you normally date. They're different and they're my friends. I don't want them to get hurt."

"Why would you say that?" Kane asked defensively. "Why don't we let them decide?"

"Which one are you gonna ask, Kane?" Yukio asked. Yuuichirou was now completely forgotten.

Yuuichirou just shook his head. He blocked out the rest of their conversation; he didn't want to hear what these guys were saying about his friends. Especially Rei. They were talking about the girls like they were a prize, not people. _I guess some people never change_, Yuuichirou thought.

Meanwhile, in the other room, the girls were surrounded by lace, silk, and satin. Dresses were almost bursting out of the racks they hung from. They were sorted by colors, revealing a miniature rainbow.

"Alright girls," Hana said as she watched the girls' jaws drop. "Just pick the one that you want and we'll get rid of the rest."

"Wow, Kumada-san. These are gorgeous!" Minako cried, running right in the room and jumping on the nearest rack. The others instantly followed.

"Well then they'll match all of you perfectly," Hana smiled. Everyone's faces turned a bit redder.

"I'll leave you ladies here," Hana continued. "I'll be back later to see how you are." With that, she turned around and left. Within moments, dresses were flying across the room.

"So what do you guys think of Yuuichirou's friends?" Makoto asked over her shoulder a few minutes later. She stood in front of a full length mirror and held a dress up to her body.

"They were hot," Minako replied, throwing a rejected dress over her shoulder.

"Yeah, they were really cute," Usagi agreed flipping through some hung dresses.

"Usagi, you have Mamoru," Rei said rolling her eyes.

"And he would appreciate my good taste," Usagi commented.

The girls couldn't help but laugh.

"Yuuichirou seemed a bit quiet around them though," Ami stated. "He didn't seem all that excited to see them." She started to hang up some of the dresses Minako had dropped on the floor.

"I noticed that too, actually," Makoto said. She began to put the dress she was looking at back on the rack.

"Maybe he was just so excited that he didn't know how to react," Usagi suggested.

Rei began trying on a dress. She didn't want to join in on their conversation. She thought about his reaction as well and thought it was a little off, especially for Yuuichirou. _Why would he act like that? _She thought. Now that she thought about it, she'd never really seen him with any friends. She knew he had some back at the shrine, but he had always been too busy with chores and training to have much free time. _But he's always so chipper. _He was always so happy to see her friends. Any time they would come over to work on homework or to discuss the latest youma attack, he would go out of his way to make them feel at home. He was always so kind and courteous to any shrine visitors and he even acted warmer to complete stranger than how he acted around Yukio and Kane. _It's so strange_, she thought, letting out a sigh. _I'm sure it's nothing_, shrugging it off.

Dresses soon took over their conversations and the girls spent the next few hours laughing at some funny looking dresses and talking about the latest gossip happening at school.

"Have you ladies picked out your dresses yet?" Hana asked. She had left them alone a few hours ago and hadn't returned until now. Looking at the room, she was kind of hoping she hadn't. The room was completely transformed from a neat pristine room to a department store fitting room during a sale.

Upon seeing her reaction to the room, everyone sweat dropped.

"Sorry about the room, Kumada-san," Ami apologized. She was still hanging the dress she had just tried on. The other girls followed, picking up dresses lying on the floor.

Hana chucked. "No, it's alright," she said. "It's not like I haven't done this before." She sat down on the one chair that didn't have a pile of lace and satin on it. The girls sighed in relief.

"I take it from all the dresses on the floor that you haven't picked out one yet," Hana smiled.

"There are so many to choose from," Minako replied. "I don't know which one to pick!" For the last hour, Minako was torn between four very different dresses. She kept changing her mind every five minutes, making random excuses for why she didn't want this dress or that dress.

"Kumada-san, these dresses are all beautiful," Makoto said, playing with the straps of the dress she held.

"Are you sure it's alright for us to wear them?" Rei asked, turning to face the stately woman.

"Of course," Hana replied. She stood up and walked over to Rei and Makoto, who were standing next to the full length mirror. "This one looks beautiful on you, Hino-san," she said. Rei blushed.

"Thank you," was all Rei could say.

Hana turned to Makoto. "I enjoy watching you girls in here. I never got to do this. Yuuichirou never liked it when I took him shopping. You know how boys are." All the girls giggled. "Besides," she continued, turning to stand behind Rei and looking at her in the mirror, "I've always wanted a daughter." With that, she began to play Rei's beautiful hair.

* * *

That night, Rei sat in the middle of the bed staring across the room at her new dress hanging in the closet. _It's the most beautiful thing I've ever worn_, she thought with a smile. _I can't wait to wear it. _It had taken her forever to finally find it but the second she did, she fell in love with it. It had made her love it even more because even Hana had commented on how beautiful it looked on her. The other girls took even longer to find a dress. Makoto and Ami found theirs not long after, but it took Minako another two hours to finally pick one and Usagi three. _If this is how prom dress shopping will be like, I'm not looking forward to it_.

After finding their dresses and fixing the room from the minor disaster the girls created, Makoto made an extravagant dinner with everyone's help. Kane and Yukio stayed for dinner, much to Yuuichirou's misfortune. Hana couldn't believe how amazing the food tasted, especially since it came from such a young girl. Makoto was praised for her cooking by all making her the happiest person in the room. Sitting next to her was the saddest person in the room. Yuuichirou watched as Yukio and Kane shamelessly flirted with all of his friends. He shot daggers with his eyes whenever either one of them said anything to Rei. She noticed his demeanor and began thinking about how strange he was acting again.

Rei was thinking about this again as she sat on her bed. She replayed the entire evening in her head but still couldn't find an answer. Rei heard a soft knock on the door.

The door opened slightly and a head popped in.

"Rei-chan, mind if I come in?" Yuuichirou asked softly.

"Sure, is something wrong?" Rei began to worry. It was already late and Grandpa still hadn't come back. "Is Grandpa alright"

"He's fine. He just got back five minutes ago. I saw him in the hall," Yuuichirou said, closing the door softly behind him. Rei let out a sigh of relief.

"So, what's up Yuuichirou? It's kind of late."

He was now standing in his pajamas by her bed, hands behind his back. He paused.

"I just wanted to see you," he said finally. Rei was slightly taken aback by his boldness. "I spent the entire day with Yukio and Kane and I hadn't seen you all day. I just wanted to see a friendly face."

Rei smiled at how nervous he looked. "Alright," she said. She patted the spot on the bed next to her.

Yuuichirou sat down on the spot she indicated with a smile that showed every ounce of his happiness.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rei asked as Yuuichirou tried to cross his legs like Rei.

"You can ask me anything."

"Are you friends with Yukio and Kane? I sensed some tension from you earlier today and it's not like you to be so quiet around people." Rei couldn't help asking. The question had been burning inside her for hours and it was really annoying her.

Yuuichirou looked down at his lap. He didn't want to talk about it, but Rei seemed genuinely concerned about him. When she asked a question, he had to answer: this time was no different.

"We've known each other since we were kids," Yuuichirou said still looking at his lap. "We grew up together. We were actually really good friends." He looked up at her and met her gaze. "When we got older, we started getting into some trouble. Nothing bad, but really stupid reckless stuff. When it started to get really bad, I started to hang out with them less and less. I didn't want to embarrass my parents by getting caught doing something dumb, so I started making other friends, ones that were actually my friends, but Yukio and Kane didn't like it. They thought I was abandoning them; that I was better than them, and that I found new friends that replaced them. It was a huge falling out between us."

"So why did they show up today?"

"Because when I left, they told me that I was a good-for-nothing and that I wouldn't be able to make it without my parents help." Yuuichirou smiled slightly. "You know, I think they've matured a bit. They weren't nearly as bad today as they were when I left. They probably wanted to see me completely helpless today, so I guess I got the last laugh."

"I'm so sorry," Rei said. She couldn't imagine what it would be like for her best friends to just turn on her.

"Don't be," he replied. "I got over it a long time ago. People are just dumb sometimes, especially teenagers. Today was just a bit awkward."

"I'm sure it was." Rei still looked a bit worried. No one should have to suffer loosing friends like that, especially someone as nice and sweet as Yuuichirou. _Did I just think that? _She thought.

"Rei-chan, don't worry about those guys. It's just dumb guys stuff, really." Yuuichirou smiled at her and gently put his hand on hers. She smiled weakly back. "So what about you!" he said, instantly chipper. "Did you pick out a dress? Can I see it?" He began to look over at the open closet.

"No!"

In a flash, she was standing in front of the closet closing the door. She turned to face a stunned Yuuichirou.

"What was that? Is it that ugly?" Yuuichirou grinned.

"It's a surprise! Your mother told us not to show you any of our dresses," Rei retorted. She couldn't help but blush at how she had reacted just a second ago.

"Okay, well I guess I'll see it in a few days," Yuuichirou shrugged with the grin still on his face. "And you'll be wearing it when I do."

Rei's blush deepened.

"So did you have fun with my mother?" Yuuichirou asked, changing the subject. He knew his last comment had made her uncomfortable.

"Yes. She's a very nice woman," Rei replied. She sat back down on the bed facing Yuuichirou.

"Yes she is. She looked like she had a god time too. I saw her in the office room on my way over here and she was glowing."

"Can I ask you another question?" Rei began to nervously play with her bed sheets.

"Yeah, but it better not be about Yukio and Kane," Yuuichirou replied, slightly nudging her with his hand.

"It's not. You don't have to answer if it's too personal." Rei took a deep breath. She didn't want to ask another personal question, especially one like this, but she had to ask. This question had been eating away at her brain for the past few days and she couldn't keep it in anymore. "Why did you leave this place? You seem to have such a good life here, except for your friends." She made little quotation marks with her fingers when she said 'friends.'

"I was wondering when you were going to ask that question," Yuuichirou said.

Rei blushed again and looked embarrassingly at the ruffled sheets she sat on. When she finally looked up, she was surprised to see that he wasn't mad. In fact, he was smiling sweetly at her.

"When I was a child," he began, "And the business hadn't been started, we lived in the Juuban district. Not too far from the shrine actually. My father worked on starting the business while my mom took care of me. We became really close. She and I would always go to the park down the street after school and look at the flowers. As I got older, the company got more successful and my mother started to help out. After that, I barely saw her anymore. I was always used to having my father away on business, but I'd never really been alone till my mother started working. The company got so successful, they bought this house. My mother wanted a big house with a big yard. The move was kind of hard. I was only a kid and if you haven't noticed, this house is freakin' huge! Well, I changed schools to one closer here and that's when I made friends with Yukio and Kane. From the beginning, it seemed like I'd never be alone with best friends like them, but I was wrong. A few years after we lost connection, my father announced that I was to take over the business. I kind of snapped. I didn't want to take over some company I had no part in. I want to make him happy, but I knew that if I were to someday take over, I would hate my life because I don't want it to be like my father's. I told him that I was leaving a little while later. I needed to find out what I want to do with my life. The first place I went to after I left was my old home. I didn't know where else to go. I saw the shrine on my way to the park and I figured I'd go there for some guidance. Turns out I never left." He gave her another one of his smiles.

Rei couldn't find any words.

Yuuichirou's smile widened. "Now that you know all about me and we've talked about some pretty depressing stuff, why don't we have some fun?"

"What do you have in mind?" Rei asked. She didn't want to push the subject further. She was surprised he'd actually opened up that much to her. She began to catch his contagious smile.

"I was thinking some soda, popcorn and some cheesy action movie."

"That sounds like fun."

"Great! Let's go get everything."

Yuuichirou jumped off the bed and motioned Rei to follow. She began to laugh at his childishness and followed suit.

Within fifteen minutes, the two had snuck into the kitchen, raided it, picked up a movie, and were now back in Rei's room watching the movie. Both lay on their stomach, facing the television. They had decided to pick a funny action movie, but Yuuichirou couldn't pay attention to it. He was too distracted. He couldn't help glancing over at her. Her features shimmered from the flashing lights of the TV and it captivated him. When she laughed he could barely catch his breath: her laughs were like bells to him. Yuuichirou couldn't believe someone this perfect was laying next to him. _She's cute even when she eats popcorn_, he thought.

There lay between them a big bowl of popcorn and a small tub a chocolate icing. Rei would dip the tip of finger in the icing, and then pick up a single kernel with the chocolaty finger. She'd stick the tip of her finger in her mouth, eating both the chocolate and popcorn. Yuuichirou had never seen anyone eat popcorn like that.

Rei felt someone staring at her and turned her head. Yuuichirou blushed at being caught staring, so as a reaction, he dipped his entire hand in the icing, then the popcorn. After Rei's initial shock wore off, she saw Yuuichirou's entire hand completely covered with the crazy concoction. He began to eat his fingers with a big smile on his face.

"Baka," she laughed.

"Hey, you're just jealous you didn't think of this," Yuuichirou retorted finishing his thumb and moving on to his index finger.

"If I wanted to be gross, I would have done that."  
"This isn't gross. It's like what you were doing, only better!" He held up his half eaten hand at her.

"Ewe! Get that thing away! Your spit is all over it!" She sat up on the bed trying to get farther away from his extended chocolaty hand.

Yuuichirou sat up too. He held it closer to her face just to tease her. He began to laugh. Rei grabbed a handful of popcorn and threw it at him to get him to stop; it was the only defense she could think of. Yuuichirou laughed again, catching some of the kernels in his mouth. Rei was invulnerable to Yuuichirou's goofiness. He was just so silly sometimes and she felt so comfortable around him.

The rest of the night was spent on seeing how many times Yuuichirou could catch popcorn in his mouth and how far they could throw it in the air. The movie long forgotten.

A few hours later, Rei lay asleep as the movie credits rolled. Yuuichirou lay next to her fully awake. The two had run out of popcorn halfway through the movie so they ended up watching the rest of it. Rei, however, only saw a few minutes. It was really late, even by her standards, and she felt the day's exhaustion suddenly hit her as her head hit the pillow. Yuuichirou hadn't noticed she'd fallen asleep till now. He turned his head to the side and saw that she lay on her side facing him with her hands resting on the pillow. _She's so peaceful when she sleeps_, he thought. _She looks like an angel_. For the second time in two days, he looked at her without fear of being yelled at. She was more beautiful now then she was in the garden, if that was even possible. He watched her for a while, adoring everything about her. He listened to her slow smooth breaths and he felt his own catch. He eventually tore his eyes off her and got up quietly. He began to pick up the mess they had made on her bed (the stray kernels and empty soda cans and icing tub) and put them in the popcorn bowl to be thrown away later. He then walked over to her side of the bed and gently picked her up so that he could get the sheets over her sleeping form. After successfully tucking her in without waking her, he brushed a stray stand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. With his hand still on her hair, he bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Rei-chan," he whispered only inches from her forehead. He straightened up and picked up the popcorn bowl and walked out of the room. He slowly closed the door behind him with his free hand and he heard a faint, "Goodnight, Yuuichirou-chan."


	7. The Ball

AN: Sorry it took so long to post this chapter. Back to back exams are awful. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. It's longer than the last one cause I felt bad that took so long to post this

By the way, during the second dance, you might want to listen to the song "You Don't Know Me" by Michael Buble. I figured it would be the perfect song for them to dance to because it shows exactly how Yuuichirou has felt for years.

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese, so please forgive any misuse on the honorifics and I do not own Sailor Moon, which this story is very loosely based.

Chapter 7

The Ball

The next few days came and went and Friday arrived much to everyone's excitement. Yuuichirou sat in his room that morning, fiddling with his vintage guitars. The girls had decided to go outside in the backyard. Rei had shown her friends, with Yuuichirou's permission, the garden and they loved it. They spent most of their days there, playing in the flowers and swinging. Yuuichirou didn't feel like going out there with them today. He picked up one of the guitars and he idly thought, _Why do I have these? I don't like to play the guitar._ His father had given them to Yuuichirou as a gift, in order to get him to learn to play an instrument and build some 'character.' _I should sell them or something. It's not like anyone's using them._ He picked up the one closest to him and put the strap over his head. He began to strum the few chords he knew and stopped. His fingers were already starting to hurt. He took it off and put it back gently in its spot. _It'd be cool if I was a rock star_, he thought. _Then I could impress Rei with my singing and I'd write her a song to tell her how I feel._ He brushed the idea away quickly. _Yeah, like I'd ever be a rock star. That's stupid_.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Yuuichirou, can I see you in the library?" Akira said as he pocked his head in the room.

"Sure," Yuuichirou replied. Akira shut the door behind him leaving Yuuichirou standing there befuddled. "I wonder what he wants to talk about," Yuuichirou asked aloud. Since his arrival, Akira had remained distant and quiet. He spent most of his time at work, which Yuuichirou had grown accustomed to, and today was the first day since he arrived that he wasn't at work. This in itself was peculiar. He left his room and walked over to the library.

"Here goes nothing," Yuuichirou whispered, reaching the library door and knocking.

"Come in," Akira said through the door.

As Yuuichirou walked in the room, he saw his father sitting at his desk in the corner of the room. He was rustling though some papers and indicated Yuuichirou to sit down on the big leather couch in the center of the room. Yuuichirou did as he was told, rustling his hair uneasily as he did. _Man, I miss my long hair_, he thought. His hair was his pride and joy, mainly because if he had his hair like that around his parents, they would have a heart attack. Yuuichirou continued his longing, not wanting to think about why his father had brought him here. These kinds of conversations were never good. This was the place his father loved most. He loved reading but also worked here when he was home. This was also the place his father would lecture Yuuichirou. Whenever Yuuichirou got into trouble with his friends or got bad grades, this was where he would get a talking to. This was the room Yuuichirou liked the least. Anytime he would see his father in this room, he would eventually get mad and they would argue. This was also the place he told his parents he was leaving. That was the last time he'd been in the library, until he showed Ami. He didn't set foot in the room when he showed her, he only stood in the doorway, but he knew she would like it and was willing to get near the place he loathed to make her happy. Right now, however, he'd rather be getting a root canal than be in this room.

Akira walked over to the arm chair across from the couch where Yuuichirou sat still holding some sheets of paper. He placed them on the side table and sat down. Akira looked his son in the eye, which made Yuuichirou's heart beat faster. _Here it comes_, Yuuichirou thought bracing himself.

"How have you been, Yuuichirou-chan?" Akira asked fingers laced, hands in his lap. This was not what Yuuichirou expected, but their conversations were always calm in the beginning.

"I've been fine," was all Yuuichirou could say back.

"How do you like it at the shrine? Honestly, I never thought that's where you'd end up." That sounded more like it.

"I really like it," Yuuichirou said. He wanted to defend the shrine. "It's so peaceful. Grandpa is training me to become a better person and to become a priest like him. It's a lot of work, but it has its rewards." He thought of Rei.

"I see. And is this something you want to be?"

"I think so," Yuuichirou replied. He had no idea where this conversation was going.

"I talked to Hino-san this morning. He told me that you are quite valuable to him. He told me that you are the most dedicated apprentice he's had and that he wouldn't know how to get by without you."

"Really?" Yuuichirou couldn't believe that his master would say something like that about him. It meant everything to him that Grandpa would feel that way about him.

"Yes," Akira smiled slightly at his son. "The reason I called you in here today is because I wanted to see if you've changed in the years since you left. The last time we talked you had no plans for your future and you had no goals. Now, you aspire to be a priest and to someday run the shrine. You also have a Shinto priest speaking very highly of you." Akira leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees. "I'm really proud of you, son. I know I've never told you that before, but I am. You've discovered what you want in life without any help and you're doing it on your own. It reminds me of myself when I was young."

Yuuichirou didn't know what to say. Yuuichirou was shocked. Utterly shocked. Yuuichirou's father was the hardest man he knew and here he was, talking about how proud he was of him. Akira smiled at Yuuichirou's gaping expression. He picked up the sheets of paper still lying on the table.

"I haven't changed my mind about you taking over the business, Yuuichirou," Akira said. "I don't want to give it to someone other than my own son. It's always been my intention to give it to you when I retire, and I'm still going to." Yuuichirou's head dropped to his hands. He didn't want the company! The happiness from his father's compliment now faded to dread. "Yuuichirou listen to me," Akira said, seeing his son's reaction. "I'm going to bequeath the company to you when I retire, but I'll hire someone else to run it as the president. You will have sole ownership but that is all. You won't control it like I want, but at least you'll have it. And if you decide you want to follow the family business, then you can, although I doubt you'll do that."

Yuuichirou stared at his father, stunned yet again. "Why are you still giving it to me?"

"Because I want on one other than my son to have something that I started. And I hope that one day, you'll give it to one of your children. I want it to be a family business. Besides, with the profit from the business, you'll have enough money to have a comfortable like and you can use it to take care of the shrine when you take over."

"I don't know what to say, father," Yuuichirou stammered. He still couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You don't have to say anything," Akira said. "I've already got it in writing. When I retire, it's yours." He handed Yuuichirou the piece of paper he held that Yuuichirou hadn't noticed till now. On it were instructions as to the fate of the company. Yuuichirou's name appeared at the top of the sheet next to the word "Owner." Yuuichirou looked up from the sheet.

"Thank you father," Yuuichirou said a little shakily. "It means so much to me that you're supporting me and my decision to be a priest." He handed his father the sheet.

"You're welcome," Akira said. "Your mother and I fully support your decision. But you have to do one thing though." Yuuichirou nodded his head. He was willing to do anything for his father's generosity. "You have to visit more often. Your mother and I have really missed you. Especially your mother."

"I will father," Yuuichirou said smiling. He felt a little guilty for causing his mother pain, but he was glad that he'd finally settled things with his parents. For the first time in years, Akira and Yuuichirou had a real conversation.

* * *

Preparations for the ball began late afternoon. The girls all gathered in Usagi's room to get ready together. They spent hours fixing each other's hair and makeup; however most of the time was spent laughing and gossiping.

At seven o'clock, the five girls stood in the room putting on the finishing touches to their outfits. Usagi stood in a cotton candy pink dress that looked similar to the dress Princess Serenity wore. "I feel just like a princess!" Usagi said.

"You should, considering you are one," Makoto laughed. She wore a long emerald green satin dress that had a strap on one side and draped over the rest of her, tunic style. It made her look taller in an elegant way. She still wore her hair in a ponytail but it showed the uniqueness of the dress.

"I'm so excited! This is going to be so much fun!" Minako squealed. She wore a strapless glittering gold dress that tightened around her waist then flared out slightly at the bottom. She abandoned her signature red bow for a gold one that matched her dress. She grabbed Ami's hands and pulled her off her seat. She began to twirl and spin with her all the while laughing. Ami laughed at Minako's eagerness. She wore a simple midnight blue dress that somehow looked better on her than a fancier one. The low cut in the font and slight hug of the material made her look more sophisticated than the rest of the group.

Rei stood in front of the mirror staring at herself. She felt like there was something missing. She wore a beautiful ruby red satin dress. It tied in the back of her neck and the strings from the strap ran down her bare back. The dress hugged her body in all the right places. A slit ran up the side of her right leg that ended mid-thigh, showing off her legs. She glanced up at her hair. Half of it was pulled up and it cascaded down her back in loose curls. She suddenly knew what she was missing.

"I'll be right back!" she said, running out of the room as fast as she could in high heels, which was considerably fast considering she often ran across town in her sailor outfit during a youma attack. She ran into her room and rummaged through her luggage until she found what she was looking for. She walked back to Usagi's room, prize in hand. Standing in front of the mirror again, she added the final touch to her hair. When she finished, she smiled to herself. On the back of her head was a long red ribbon that seemed to mold itself in her loose curls and run its way through her hair.

"Wow, Rei! I love your hair! Where did you get that ribbon?" Minako asked, ending her dance with Ami and walking over to the mirror where Rei stood.

"It was a gift," Rei said with a smile.

"Who gave it to you?" Makoto asked, walking over too.

"No one." For some reason, she didn't want to tell her friends.

"No it's not. It's obviously someone if they got you something this pretty," Usagi said.

"Come on, tell us!" Even Ami was curious.

Much to Rei's delight Hana walked in, interrupting their conversation.

"Are you girls ready to go?" Hana asked. She took one look at the girls and smiled sweetly. "Don't you girls look just lovely?" She wore an elegant light purple dress perfect for that of an older woman but it also made her look young and vibrant. "We'd better hurry," she said, motioning for them to move. "We don't want to be late! My husband, Yuuichirou and Hino-san already left a while ago in the car. They needed to be there early to get everything situated and just in case anyone shows up early, they'll be there. But the guests will be arriving soon and we should be there when everyone else does."

The girls gathered their things and followed Hana out. The ride over was a short one and within minutes they arrived to their destination.

One by one, they entered the building, the sound of music filling the entrance hall. The girls followed Hanau up an elaborate staircase and through the ballroom entrance.

"Wow!" the girls gasped. Yuuichirou was right about describing it like a movie. People all around were dressed in the most amazing outfits; women in colorful dresses and men in sharp black tuxedoes filled the room. A small orchestra played rich music in the corner of the room while couples danced in circles around the dance floor.

"I have to go," Hana said walking over to a group of ladies calling her over. "I hope you have a wonderful time." She left them there still standing at the doorway.

"Oh food!" Usagi said after a moment, walking hurriedly over to the table stacked with towers of food. The rest followed.

"Usagi, if you keep eating, your dress is gonna rip," Rei said as Usagi stuffed a whole piece of cake in her mouth. Usagi retorted but no one could understand what she said and she managed to spit food everywhere.

"Hello girls, my all of you look beautiful," Grandpa said just as Usagi and Rei began to fight.

"Grandpa you look so cute in your tux!" Usagi cried, forgetting about Rei. Everyone laughed.

"Thank you, Usagi-chan," he said, positively beaming. "Wow, those chocolate bon bons look delicious."

"No way, Grandpa! Those are mine!" Usagi cried. They raced over to the large platter and began eating like starving bears. Their small audience sweat dropped.

The song ended and the dancers stopped and clapped at the orchestra. There was a short pause before the music picked up again and couples began to dance. The girls watched in awe as the couples began to waltz in giant circles around the room.

"They're all so gorgeous and elegant," Minako sighed.

"Isn't that Yuuichirou?" Ami pointed at the couple that glided past them.

"Oh my God, he looks amazing! Almost like my old boyfriend," Makoto said. Yuuichirou wore a sleek black tux and he was dancing with a beautiful blonde in a teal dress.

"He's a good dancer," Minako said in awe. They watched as the pair spun and twirled across the dance floor and Rei noticed she was clenching her fists. She watched as the blonde moved gracefully on the floor, laughing as Yuuichirou spun the two of them in circles, making Yuuichirou smile too. Fire ignited in Rei's chest. _Who's that girl?_ she thought almost seething.

"Rei-chan, are you alright?" Ami asked, noticing Rei's teeth clenching.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered tartly. She had to force herself to calm down. _Why am I acting this way?_ She thought. _Why do I care who that baka dances with?_

Just then, Kane and Yukio walked over. Both looked dashing in their tuxedoes. "Good evening, ladies," Yukio said, his award-winning smile on his face.

"Good evening," the girls replied, except Usagi, who was still stuffing her face with Grandpa. Although they were attracted to them, Rei had told her friends about their past with Yuuichirou and it made them a little uneasy. Standing here now, they didn't know how to act around them.

"How are you all enjoying this evening?" Kane asked, smiling too.

"It's lovely here," Ami replied. "The room is absolutely beautiful."

"Yes it is," the other girls agreed.

"We're glad," Kane said. "You all look great by the way. All the girls blushed. Although they knew not to trust the two, they weren't completely immune to flattery.

Across the room, Yuuichirou laughed as his partner spun around and nearly hit an elderly couple. She laughed, too, as she got angry looks from the couple. They continued to dance in their relatively fast pave when a blaze of red caught Yuuichirou's eye. Yuuichirou was captivated by the intense color. He stopped looking at his partner and tried to find where the source of red came from. After going halfway around the dance floor, he found it. A raven-haired beauty stood across the room and time stopped for Yuuichirou. Everyone else faded from the room and only she existed. Yuuichirou stopped dead in his tracks, completely forgetting everything: Rei was the only thing on his mind. To him, she looked like an angel, a vision of beauty. He could have stayed there and watched her from across the room for an eternity. Reality, however, had different plans and smacked Yuuichirou in the face in the form of a body crashing right into him.

"Yuuichirou-chan are you alright?" his partner asked after she got her balance back.

"Huh? What?" Yuuichirou stammered, taking his eyes off perfection incarnated and looked at the girl in front of him.

"Are you okay?" she repeated. "You just stopped dancing all of a sudden."

"Oh I'm sorry. I got a little distracted," Yuuichirou smiled sheepishly.

"I'll say." Just then, the music ended and the dancers stopped dancing to applause.

"Come on," Yuuichirou said walking over to the vision of red. She followed a bit perturbed. Yuuichirou noticed that Kane and Yukio were standing over with Rei and everyone and that they were blushing. He quickened his pace.

"Hey guys!" Yuuichirou said breathlessly when he finally reached his destination. He glanced quickly at Kane and Yukio, then all the girls, saving Rei for last. When he finally laid eyes on her up close, she nearly took his breath away. She smiled at him sweetly and he thought he was in heaven.

"Nice of you to join us Yuu," Yukio said.

"My apologies. I was dancing," Yuuichirou said still looking at Rei. Rei turned pink from the way Yuuichirou was looking at her. She had often gotten looks like this when he thought she wasn't looking, but it was never as intense as it was now_. God she's even more beautiful up close_, he thought. "This is Akiko," Yuuichirou said finally remembering his manners and introducing his dance partner to the group. Usagi had walked over a few minutes ago, being more interested in what was happening here than her stomach.

"It's such a pleasure to meet all of you," Akiko said. "It's nice to see you two again." She looked at Kane and Yukio.

"It's been a while, Akiko-chan," Yukio said. She nodded.

"Akiko-chan and I were good friends in high school," Yuuichirou explained to the clueless girls. "She's been away at med school and it just so happens that she came back when I did." Yuuichirou gave a proud smile at Akiko. She just laughed at him.

"Yuu-chan, don't flatter yourself. I'm only here to please my parents," she said.

The music began to pick up again. Two gentlemen came over and asked Akiko and Ami to dance, both accepted. Kane asked Minako and Yukio asked Minako. Even Grandpa asked Usagi, which she excitedly accepted and dragged the poor old man to the dance floor, leaving Rei and Yuuichirou standing alone.

Yuuichirou had barely taken his eyes off Rei since he'd seen her across the room. Rei looked at him a bit uneasily. He only smiled, raising his hand up to her.

"Would you like to dance, Rei-chan?" Yuuichirou asked as the music grew louder.

"I don't know how to waltz," Rei replied sheepishly.

"That's okay. With a good partner, anyone can waltz. I'll teach you." Rei hesitated, and then took his hand. Yuuichirou's smile grew wider. He walked her over to the center of the dance floor and faced her.

"Alright, here's a quick lesion on waltzing," Yuuichirou said. "There are only six steps and if you can count, you can dance. Are you ready?" Rei nodded. "Okay!" He showed her the basic steps, which were actually easier than she would have imagined. Yuuichirou watched Rei's feet as she learned the steps. He noticed that her slit in her dress would open up exposing her leg whenever she took a step. He had to force himself to keep his eyes on her feet instead of her dress which left much to the imagination.

"Alright, are you ready to dance with a partner?" Yuuichirou asked as Rei got her footwork down.

"I think so," Rei said, watching her feet.

"Okay." He took a step closer to her, which she did not expect. He reached for her hand and he gently but firmly put his right hand on her shoulder blade. Rei awkwardly put her hand on Yuuichirou's bicep in return. Yuuichirou had to restrain his excitement at being able to touch her bare back: he had to worry about his feet, not his hands. They began to move forward.

"Don't look down, Rei-chan," Yuuichirou said. Rei had been watching her feet, trying to get the right steps and making sure she wouldn't get stepped on.

"I can't help it," she whined. "I'm afraid you're gonna step on me." Yuuichirou stopped dancing and let her go.

"The point of this dance is to let the man lead," Yuuichirou said. "You have to just trust that I won't step on you or run you in to another couple or something. I won't hurt you, I promise." Yuuichirou smiled and offered his hand again. "Do you trust me?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then took his hand again. "Yes."

Yuuichirou pulled her back into dance position and began to move them slowly forward. Every now and then, Rei would look down at her feet. She didn't mean to do it, but it just happened. Yuuichirou got so tired of telling her to not look down, that he ended up using his left hand to lift her chin up so that she'd look at him instead of her feet. This always caused her to blush. Soon, they started to dance faster and faster, spinning and weaving through other couples. Rei began to smile. She'd always wanted to be able to dance like Makoto or Ami.

Yuuichirou smiled down at her. He could see the joy coming out of her eyes as they soared across the room and he imagined that his was because of him. The song came to an end much to Yuuichirou's chagrin.

"That was so much fun, Yuuichirou-kun!" Rei elated. She'd never felt more graceful in her entire life, like she was walking on a cloud. "Where did you learn to dance?"

"My mom taught me when I was a kid," Yuuichirou said, letting her go. "My parents met at a ball like this. My father asked my mother for a dance and she said that that was when she fell in love. My mom wanted me to be able to woo a girl on the dance floor like my father, so she taught me."

"That's so sweet!" Rei whispered. That was just about the cutest story she'd ever heard, including Usagi and Darien finding love after 25,000 years.

A slow song came on next and Yuuichirou couldn't resist asking for another dance. Rei happily accepted. This time, they did not glide across the room, but remained in the center of the dance floor.

Yuuichirou held Rei in the appropriate dance position and gently rocked them in a small circle. They remained quiet. Yuuichirou's better judgment told him to remain this way, but he didn't listen to them. He began to inch his way closer to her, closing the gap between them. Rei didn't seem to notice this advance, which Yuuichirou took to be a good thing. He continued to get closer to her and in doing so, his right hand began to move down her back. Yuuichirou finally closed the gap between them, their bodies touching for the first time. His right hand had traveled down the length of her spine and now gently settled on the small of her back. His left hand held hers near his heart.

Rei didn't notice their closeness until Yuuichirou was pressing her body to his. The only thing she noticed was Yuuichirou's hand making its way down her back. He touched her skin ever so gently with his fingers, which sent electricity down her spine. Rei was too shocked by his boldness to do anything about it. She was also surprised by her reaction to his touch. She was so absorbed in his touch to realize how close he was getting. _Why did I have to pick this dress?_ she thought. His touch left a trail of fire down her back.

Yuuichirou leaned his head against hers getting a good whiff of her hair. Rei tried not to laugh as his stubbles from his five o'clock shadow ticked her cheeks and she moved her left hand from his bicep to the back of his neck to cover her smile.

"I'm glad you didn't show me your dress a few nights ago," Yuuichirou whispered in her ear. His warm breath set fire to her skin. "You look so beautiful. I couldn't ask for a better surprise." He pulled her closer to him. Rei turned slightly pink and smiled into his shoulder. Yuuichirou took a locket of her hair in his left hand and gently stroked it in between his thumb and index finger, while still holding Rei's hand. "That ribbon looks familiar," he said, still stroking her hair.

"It should," She said. This time it was Yuuichirou's neck that was set fire by a warm breath.

"I knew it would look good on you." They continued to dance. This moment became the best thing in Yuuichirou's life. He couldn't believe that someone his perfect was in his arms.

Rei, however, was not as excited. Her heart had been doing jumping jacks the second Yuuichirou's hand touched her bare back. The only thing she could hear was how hard her heart was beating. It was a miracle she could hear Yuuichirou whispering, but then again, he whispered right in her ear. _I have to calm down, _she thought_. This is just an ordinary dance with Yuuichirou. Why am I acting like this?_ She began to relax her muscles, trying to will herself into calmness. As she relaxed, she noticed that the entire time she had been clutching on to Yuuichirou. She loosened her grip on him and soon began to calm down. Although her heart beat was still at a slightly chaotic speed, she began to relax. She let herself be swept away by the song. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. Yuuichirou felt her breath on his neck and buried his face further in her hair and smiled at himself.

The song came to an end and the couples began to disperse. The moment that lasted an eternity ended too soon. Yuuichirou released Rei from his hold, going against everything his head was screaming for him to do. She pulled away from him and now stood a foot away, looking at him right in the eyes. She smiled warmly at him and said, "Thank you for the dance."

Yuuichirou still held Rei's hand. "No, thank you," he said, bending down, but not taking his eyes off Rei's face, and bringing her hand up to his face to kiss it gently. Rei blushed.

"I'm thirsty," Rei said hurriedly, taking her hand back. She felt a bit uncomfortable about the gesture, especially after following such an intimate dance.

"I'll get it for you," Yuuichirou offered. He led her over to the punch bowl and poured her a cup. She sipped it slowly. She wanted time to think about what just happened. She didn't know if what she felt was just the fact that she was so close to someone or it it was something more. She didn't get very much time to think, however, because Usagi and Grandpa came over.

"Hey Rei!" Usagi shrieked and ran over to her friend. "That dance was a lot of fun. You looked great out there, by the way! I didn't know you could waltz." Rei just shrugged and gave Yuuichirou a sideways glance, which sent a joy coursing though his veins. "Grandpa too! Who knew he could dance?" Rei smiled at Usagi and Grandpa smiled proudly.

"Yeah, he doesn't look like he can cause he's so short," Rei said, still sipping her drink. Usagi laughed and Grandpa pouted.

"I may be short, but I am a dancing machine!" Grandpa cried. He spotted a pretty young girl standing alone a few feet away and grinned. "If you ladies will excuse me, I am going to dance with another fine young lady." Rei turned bright red with anger. Just then, Minako and Makoto stormed over fuming.

"What an asshole!" Makoto said through clenched teeth.

"Ugh, you said it!" Minako fumed.

"What's wrong?" Rei, Usagi, and Yuuichirou asked at the same time.

"Kane said some really rude stuff to me and I had to restrain myself from punching him in the gut," Minako said.

"Well Yukio actually tried something fresh with me. He grabbed my ass! I didn't try to restrain myself. I punched him right in the face and kicked him in the shins," Makoto said. She seemed happy with herself.

"I am so sorry guys," Yuuichirou said touching both the girls on the shoulders. "I told them not to do anything but they're idiots. I can't believe they'd pull something like that here."

"It's okay, Yuuichirou-chan," Minako said. "Rei told us about them and what they did isn't all that surprising if you really think about it. But if they try anything again, all hell is breaking loose. I may be the Goddess of Love but I'm also a warrior. And warriors are not afraid of a fight!" She raised her fist triumphantly. Makoto nodded in agreement.

Yuuichirou was a bit confused by this statement but figured it was a girl thing so he shrugged it off. He looked around the room to look for the two boys but he couldn't find them. He smiled at himself. Yukio and Kane were driven away by the first two girls who stood up to them.

"Come on, why don't you dance with me?" Yuuichirou said extending his hand to Minako. "Forget about those guys. And I promise I won't try anything."

"Okay," Minako smiled wearily. She took his hand and the two walked off to the dance floor together. Just then, Ami came over completely glowing.

"This ball is so much fun!" she said. Upon seeing Makoto's pissed off expression, she turned serious. "What's wrong Mako-chan?"

"Nothing," Makoto replied. She smiled at her blue-haired friend. "Come on, let's dance." She grabbed Ami's hands and dragged her to the dance floor, leaving Rei and Usagi alone. Usagi turned to Rei.

"Rei, is something wrong?" Usagi asked, putting her hand on Rei's shoulder. "You barely said a word since you danced with Yuuichirou. Did something happen?"

"No." Rei honestly did not know why she still felt like this or what it even meant. Rei gave a shaky smile to her friend. "I'm fine, really."

"You know, it's okay to like him," Usagi said with a smile.

"I don't like him!" Rei protested. Rei looked at Usagi in complete shock.

"If you say so." Usagi grinned in a teasing way that made Rei smile back.

"I don't!" Rei repeated.

"Okay, okay." Usagi grabbed Rei's hand and pulled her to the dance floor. "Let's dance. We're supposed to be having fun."

"Only if you don't pull anything on me," Rei teased. The good thing about having Usagi as her best friend was that she'd always be there for her. She was always able to forget her worries when she was around her. In no time, the two friends laughed and moved to the music. Soon, the other girls joined them, forming a small circle of friends that danced together, worries lost.

* * *

"I'll be right back," Rei laughed. They'd been dancing together for a while and Rei was absolutely parched. She walked over to the bowl of punch and was cut off guard by Yuuichirou.

"Hey. I see you're having fun," Yuuichirou smiled, nodding to her friends.

"Yeah I am." Rei smiled back and turned to see her friends who were all still dancing and laughing. "They are so crazy." Yuuichirou only laughed.

"Did you want something to drink?" Yuuichirou asked gesturing to the punch.

"Yeah, I'm thirsty."

Yuuichirou poured her a glass and handed it over to her. She gulped it down in two seconds. Yuuichirou laughed at this and poured her another glass.

"Do you want to take another walk with me?" Yuuichirou asked as Rei sipped on her second glass.

"Sure."

He led her out of the ballroom, down the stairs and out of the building. The full moon was high above them and stars were easily seen sparkling in the night sky. They walked into the garden, which was decorated with twinkling lights.

They walked through the garden side by side in silence. A chilling winter breeze picked up which made Rei shiver. Although her dress was pretty, id did not retain heat very well. Rei crossed her arms in an attempt to keep warm. Yuuichirou noticed this and took off his jacket. He placed it gently over her shoulders.

"Thank you," Rei said gratefully, putting her arms through the sleeves. The jacket was too big for her: The sleeves went past her hands and the shoulders were too broad, but it was so warm.

They stopped when they reached a small pond. It was so quiet and peaceful, the moon reflecting over the placid pond, making to look like there were two moons. Rei sighed contently at the scene.

"It's beautiful here isn't it?" Rei breathed.

Yuuichirou looked at her and smiled sweetly. Her skin looked more milky white from the moon light. "Yeah… beautiful."

Rei turned to look at him and smiled at him. The two quietly sat staring at the scene before them.

Another breeze picked up, a bit stronger this time, and rustled the leaves. Rei tightened Yuuichirou's jacket around her to keep the cold air out. Yuuichirou scooted closer to her and put his arm around her shoulder to warm her up.

"Do you want to go inside?" Yuuichirou asked, rubbing her arm in an attempt to warm her up.

"No, I like it out here," Rei said, looked at him. Rei's nose and Cheeks were turned a shade of red from the cold.

"Are you sure? You look cold. Your nose looks like it's gonna fall off," Yuuichirou laughed.

"No it's not!" Rei protested, throwing her hand up to her nose. "Your nose is pink too!"

"Yeah, but not as red as yours. And look at your cheeks! They're just as red."

"Nuh-uh!" Rei cried, sounding like a child.

"Oh yeah, then what's this?" Yuuichirou reached up with both hands and placed them on either side of her face. Rei took a sharp breath but didn't back away. His hands were so warm. He ran his thumbs over the area next to her nose where all the color resided. Her cheeks felt like ice compared to Yuuichirou's warm hands.

The playfulness in Yuuichirou's eyes was replaced by something else that Rei couldn't put her finger on. They stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity. Her amethyst eyes did not leave his sepia ones. Her eyes were Yuuichirou's favorite thing about Rei's face and this was the first time he'd ever gotten to see them so close. With her face still in his hands, he leaned in closer to her. Rei was frozen in place. Her mind went completely blank as he got closer to her. When his lips were only a few inches from hers, her brain switched on. _What are you doing?_ she screamed at herself.

She pulled herself out of his hands and turned her head away from him.

"You're right, we should go back inside," Rei whispered still not looking at him.

Yuuichirou dropped his hands and his head.

"Alright." He stood up and waited for Rei to do the same. They walked in silence for a few moments as they headed back to the ballroom, the music getting louder as they got closer to the building.

Since Rei's brain switched on, she couldn't turn it back off. Her mind raced with thoughts at a million miles an hour. _I almost kissed Yuuichirou!_ was a thought that kept running through her mind. She was snapped out of her mind when Yuuichirou broke the silence.

"I forgot to tell you, I talked to my dad today," Yuuichirou said, trying to make the situation less awkward.

"Really? What did he say?" Rei asked half heartedly.

"We had a nice talk actually. We reconciled our differences and he actually told me he was proud of me." Yuuichirou was smiling again.

"Wow, that's great," Rei replied, this time actually meaning it. She knew that this really meant something to Yuuichirou.

"Yeah. He also told me that he was gonna give me the company when he retires."

"But I thought you didn't want it," Rei said frowning at Yuuichirou. She was wondering where that was going.

"I didn't but when we talked, he told me he only wants to give it to me and the way he told me, I just couldn't say no."

Rei didn't know what to say. _Does this mean he's going to leave the shrine and stay here? _She thought. Her mind now raced with thoughts of Yuuichirou leaving. _Why would he leave? Is he telling me this because I didn't kiss him?_

"Rei-chan, are you alright?" Yuuichirou asked noticing her change in demeanor. They were now inside the building, standing in the entrance hall.

"I'm fine, Kumada-san," Rei replied. She took off Yuuichirou's jacket and handed it back. "Thank you for the jacket." She turned around and walked up the stairs to the ballroom, leaving Yuuichirou standing there, holding his jacket in his hand staring after her.

* * *

AN: Ok guys, please don't be mad at me for this ending. Thanksgiving is coming up which means a break from classes and more time to write. I promise to have the next chapter up very soon!


	8. Settling the Confusion

AN: Hey everyone! Like I promised, here is the next and final chapter of my first story ever!!!! This chapter actually took me only one day to write and I'm really happy about this chapter and I hope you all are too. Well, enough chatter, here it is. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese, so please forgive any misuse on the honorifics and I do not own Sailor Moon, which this story is very loosely based.

Chapter 8

Settling the Confusion

Everyone slept in the next morning. They had gotten back late last night and went straight to their rooms, not to emerge till lunchtime. Yuuichirou, however, was wide awake at the crack of dawn. He got very little sleep that night and the sleep he did get was too restless to be called sleep. This was mostly because he kept thinking about a certain girl and what had happened between them during the ball. He turned to his side, still lying on his bed, and looked at his closet where his tux hung. For about the hundredth time, he got up, walked into his closet, picked up his jacket and buried his face in it. It still smelled like her lavender perfume.

Lavender suited her the most. Its color matched perfectly with her eyes and the purplish-black color her hair. If heaven was a garden, it would be filled with lavender flowers.

Yuuichirou was lost in the sea of smells. He stood in his closet for what seemed like forever. Finally, he put the jacket back in its rightful place, afraid he would smell all the perfume out of it, and flopped back on his bed. He lay on his back staring at the ceiling. He thought about the intimate dance they had and smiled to himself. _And to think, I almost kissed her_, he thought. But then he thought about her pulling away from him when he tried to kiss her. He felt like someone stabbed him in the heart every time he thought about her pulling away. That was the worst kind of rejection he had ever experienced: being rejected by the girl he loved. He knew that she would have probably said no, but he never imagined it would hurt this much. _God just kill me now_, he thought. He threw his arms over his face, crossing them so they would cover his eyes. _And why was she so upset when I told her about my dad giving me the company?_ His thoughts continued to roam. _I should have been upset with her for not kissing me! Why was she so mad? Was it something I said?_

"UGH!" Yuuichirou cried, pounding his bed with his fists. "Girls! The only thing they're good for is an ulcer!" He sat up in his bed trying to rid his mind of the questions that haunted him all night. He sad cross-legged, putting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, but no matter what he did, he couldn't rid is mind of the girl who had trampled on his heart.

* * *

When everyone finally got up, lunch was already set up on the table. Everyone took their seats and began to eat the amazing aromatic feast before them. Hana continued to pester the girls about the ball, asking them what they did and how they like it. They all responded, quite enthusiastically, about the fun they had and how they wished they could go to another, except Rei. She sat quietly next to Usagi, playing with her food, nodding and smiling at the appropriate places.

Usagi noticed Rei's silence and looked up from her food. She looked at her then at Yuuichirou. Across the table, Yuuichirou sat in the same repose. He sat next to Grandpa, who continued to stuff his face as the conversation progressed. He looked exhausted. He sat hunched in his seat, circles clearly visible under his eyes. As Akira and Ami talked about the books in the library, Yuuichirou took just about the biggest yaw she'd ever seen, including her own.

Usagi looked back at her friend and noticed she looked tired as well, though not as tired as Yuuichirou. At first, she thought it had to do with getting back so late and sleeping in, but now the story seemed a little more interesting. She elbowed Rei in the ribs. Rei flinched quite noticeably.

"Ow! What was that for?" Rei cried.

"Rei, is everything alright between you and Yuuichirou?" Usagi whispered so only Rei could hear.

Rei looked over at Yuuichirou then back at her friend.

"Is it my fault Yuuichirou's a slob and an idiot for not getting enough sleep?" Rei retorted, and then began to stuff her face with her uneaten food. Usagi raised her eyebrows at her. She'd heard Rei say some pretty mean things, but she'd never really meant them, and that one was harsh. She looked at the others who also looked at Rei with shock. Thank goodness no one other than the four girls heard her remark.

After lunch, the girls dragged Rei to Usagi's room and sat her down on the bed. The girls all circled her, arms crossed and demanded to know what was wrong.

"Nothing's wrong! I'm fine," She said, standing up to meet everyone at eye level. Makoto grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back down on the bed.

"You're lying," Makoto said.

"You've been this way since your walk with Yuuichirou, and so has Yuuichirou, so obviously something's wrong and it involves both of you," Ami said. Why did she have to be so observant?

"Rei-chan, if you're not gonna tell your best friends, who are you gonna tell?" Minako said.

Usagi sat down next to Rei and put her arm over her shoulder. "Please tell us. We hate seeing you like this," she said. "And we'll try to make it better."

Rei looked at her lap and sighed. She couldn't blame her friends for worrying about her, but she didn't want to talk about her problems. She'd never liked to burden her friends with her worries, but she couldn't help but feel better just from them being concerned about her. She had such good friends and it was moments like this that made her realize it.

"Yuuichirou's father is giving him the company when he retires," Rei said to her lap.

"That's great, Rei-chan!" Minako said smiling. "He'll be just as successful as his father!"

"What's wrong with that?" Makoto asked as Rei slumped even more.

"If he's gonna take over the company, he's gonna leave the shrine and move back here to work. He's not gonna want to be a priest and a businessman at the same time," Rei said almost inaudibly. She still hadn't looked up from her lap.

"Oh Rei, we're so sorry," Minako said sitting on the other side of Rei.

"Is he really leaving?" Minako asked quietly.

Rei looked at her friends, defiance on her face.

"Let that baka leave if he wants to. It's his life. He just wasted a bunch of time trying to be something he's never gonna be." With that Rei stood up and crossed her arms. "I feel bad for Grandpa. Yuuichirou will really let him down if he leaves."

"Rei, you know, this isn't the first time he's tried to leave," Usagi pointed out.

"If you chase after him again he might change his mind like last time," Makoto suggested.

"But last time, Yuuichirou was attacked by a train-like youma and was knocked unconscious and Rei had to nurse him back to health," Minako said.

"That's true. And this time is different," Ami said. "He's being offered a chance to run the company, just like his father. It's his chance to make it in the world as a successful person." She got mean glares form everyone in the room, except Rei, who looked more hurt.

"Ami-chan, way to kill romance," Minako said. "Don't listen to her, Rei-chan. Yuuichirou wouldn't leave you, to the way you fell about him."

"I don't like him!" Rei fumed. She put her hand over her eyes. "Ami is right. He should go. It's a good opportunity for him and he should take it. Why should I stop him from getting everything like this." She indicted the house.

"Because you lo…" Usagi started but was cut off by a hand thrust at her.

"Usagi, don't you dare finish that sentence," Rei said. Usagi looked cast fallen. Rei didn't tell her friends about how she almost kissed Yuuichirou. She didn't want to tell them that was the reason she thought he was leaving. "Look, I'm gonna take a walk. I need some fresh air."

"We'll go with you," Minako offered.

"No, I'd better go alone. I'll see you guys later." She waver her hand and walked to the door.

"Rei-chan, take this." Makoto stopped Rei at the door and handed her an mp3 player. "The songs on there will cheer you up." She smiled reassuringly.

"Thanks, Mako-chan." She stuffed it in her jeans and left.

* * *

Rei walked aimlessly around the gardens for an hour. She thought the clear skies and fresh air would clear her head, but it didn't. If anything, it made it worse. The flowers that normally held her interests lost their appeal, the usual wildlife gone for the winter. The lack of distractions left her mind free to wonder. And it did wonder; to the subject she did not want to think about.

_I can't believe I almost kissed that idiot_, Rei thought. She replayed what happened in her mind and shook her head to shake the image out. She asked herself for about the billionth time since then if her rejection was the reason he was leaving, which was then followed by her telling herself that she didn't like Yuuichirou. But still, the shrine would be so empty without him. She got accustomed to his awful singing during chores, his normal goofiness, the way he'd be the last person to see her off to school and be the first person to welcome her back. And the shrine had been doing so well since he came. He was able to fix things Rei was unable to do, like retiling the roof and cutting firewood. And he was such a good charms seller. Girls flocked the shrine to buy charms form him and he'd be more than happy to help them. She shook her head again. _Who in their right mind would choose selling charms to teenage girls and living in a shrine over selling computers all over the world and living in a mansion? _Rei asked herself. _He's not that stupid._

Rei now wandered into Yuuichirou's secret garden. She didn't realize she'd been there till she nearly ran into the swing. She sat down on it and looked up at the branch that supported her weight. She still marveled at how Yuuichirou had made this at such a young age as well as the gazebo. He'd always been a handy-man at the shrine, but he'd never built anything as creative as a gazebo in the shrine. He mostly just fixed things, like the sink or bells. _He'd make a good husband_, Rei thought absently. _Whoa, where did that come from?_ She was shocked with herself. She pretended like she didn't just think that and started to swing herself. _Maybe when he's all successful, he'll marry a super successful girl_. She began to swing higher. _Maybe he'll marry that girl from the ball who was studying to be a doctor. What was her name again? _She thought of the elegant blonde girl in the teal dress dancing so happily with Yuuichirou. She dug her heels into the ground, skidding to an abrupt halt. _Ugh, what a ho._ She knew she didn't have a right to say something so mean, but the thought of them getting married left her a little bitter. Then again, why did she care if that baka married the blonde girl? He could marry the queen of England for all she cared.

_I need something to cheer me up_, Rei thought. She remembered Makoto giving lending her mp3 to her and she fished it out of her jeans. She put the headphones in her ears and pushed the play button. She was soon lost in loud, but not deafening, sounds of the popular songs that flooded the radio. Some of the sons were outright crazy, songs only Makoto would find interesting, but others had the catchiest beats that she couldn't help dance along. All worries and concerns evaporated as she listened to Makoto's songs.

The next song that came up was a song Minako had introduced to them. It was by an American country singer that everyone instantly fell in love with. It soon became one of Rei's favorite songs. She started to sing along.

Meanwhile, Yuuichirou was walking to his garden, wanting some alone time and to see his garden one last time before he left. They were leaving early tomorrow morning and this was the last chance he got to see it. He wasn't sure when he'd be back. As he walked, he heard the sound of an angel in the distance. He snuck up behind a tree and saw Rei standing in the middle of the garden, headphones in, singing along to a song he'd heard once before. She was completely absorbed in the song; putting all emotion into the words that Yuuichirou was instantly captivated. He'd heard her sing in the shrine every now and then, but he would always end up getting yelled at for just standing there or being hit by a broom. But here, in his hiding spot behind a tree, he watched her sing.

See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns  
I see you make your way through the crowd  
And say hello  
Little did I know

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles  
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"  
And I was crying on the staircase  
Begging you, please don't go  
And I said

Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone  
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
It's a love story  
Baby, just say yes

_If only I could be her Romeo_, Yuuichirou thought with a sigh. He laughed as she continued to sing, increasing her energy and passion in the song. She began to dance around, spinning in circles and brushing the flowers with her hand. The song picked up, talking about how much she was in love and that they needed to be together and Yuuichirou secretly wished she was singing to him. She had traveled to the gazebo and now stood looking out over the side, resting her weight on the rail. She continued to sing.

I got tired of waiting  
Wondering if you were ever coming around  
My faith in you was fading  
When I met you on the outskirts of town  
And I said

Romeo, save me  
I've been feeling so alone  
I keep waiting for you, but you never come  
Is this in my head  
I don't know what to think  
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring  
And said

Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone  
I love you and that's all I really know  
I talked to your dad  
Go pick out a white dress  
It's a love story  
Baby, just say yes

Now Yuuichirou really wished she was singing to him. She laughed at herself at the end of the song. She took the headphones out of her ears and turned off the player. The sound of her laugh made his heart melt. He took a deep breath and left the security of the tree.

Makoto was right. The playlist she made really helped cheer her up. She loved singing but she hadn't sung in such a long time. Singing during chores or while taking a shower were different. That was something others did to pass the time. Rei loved singing itself.

She leaned over the rail and picked one of the flowers in the nearby bush. It was a small white flower with a sweet smell. She held it by the stem between her thumb and index finger. She rubbed her fingers, making the flower spin.

"Hey Rei-chan."

Yuuichirou now stood at the entrance of the gazebo, hands in his pockets. Rei screamed and nearly jumped out of her skin. She hadn't heard anyone coming over because she was still humming to herself. She had dropped the flower she held out of freight and it blew away in the wind. She turned around, hand on her chest trying to keep her heart from ripping out.

"You scared the crap out of me!" she screamed, voice shaking form the sudden increase in adrenaline.

"Sorry about that. I didn't know you were so jumpy." Yuuichirou smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not jumpy!" She took a deep breath to try to calm herself down. She was still recovering from the mild heart attack Yuuichirou had given her. "How long have you been here?" She started to get nervous. _God, did he hear me singing?_

"Not long," Yuuichirou said with another shrug. Then he looked at her with a grin that made Rei scared. "But I was here long enough to see your little performance. I loved it by the way."

Rei's face turned the deepest shade of red Yuuichirou had ever seen. He could almost feel the heat coming from her. She covered her face with her hands and groaned. Yuuichirou chuckled.

"It was great, Rei-chan! Really!" Yuuichirou put his hands on her shoulders. "You have an amazing voice." She looked up at Yuuichirou smiling down at her.

"Thank you, but you shouldn't just sneak up on a people and watch them. That's creepy." She shrugged his hands off her shoulder and took a step back. She started to feel her face turn form red with embarrassment to red from anger.

"I didn't sneak up on you," Yuuichirou said defensively. He knew that tone of voice and knew where this conversation was headed. "I came out here to clear my head and I just so happen to see you singing and dancing in the flowers."

Rei turned around in embarrassment. _Great_, she thought. _I finally stopped thinking about Yuuichirou and here he is, making fun of me for doing something stupid. _She thought about what she had just done and she could barely believe she did it. She didn't want to stay here with him. She knew if she did, she would get angry at him again.

"I'm gonna go pack my stuff," Rei mumbled, turning towards the exit, which Yuuichirou was blocking.

"Don't go." Yuuichirou held out his hand to stop her. This was perfect actually. He'd been meaning to ask her all day what was bothering her. His constant worries were eating away at his brain, but he'd never been able to find her until now. He needed an answer from her if he wanted to keep his sanity. She stepped in front of him, her face turning back to its normal color. "I wanted to apologize for trying to kiss you last night," he said looking at the ground. "I shouldn't have done it and I'm sorry if I embarrassed you.

Rei hesitated for a moment. "Apology accepted," she said. _Don't get mad, don't get mad, don't get mad,_ she told herself.

"Really?" Yuuichirou's head snapped back up to look at her.

"Yeah." She wasn't even looking at him. Yuuichirou furrowed his eyebrows. _Don't get mad!_

"Well if you accept my apology, why are you still mad?" Yuuichirou was thoroughly confused. He was almost positive that this was the reason she was so angry and he thought for sure that if he apologized, things would go back to normal.

"I'm not mad." She still didn't look at him.

"Yes you are. I've known you for years and I know when you're lying."

_Don't get mad, don't get…. Dammit!_

"Are you seriously asking me why I'm mad?" Rei started. She tried so hard to control her temper, but she couldn't beat it. "As if you don't already know! But why does it matter anyway? It's not like you're going to be around in the near future so why do you care?" She tried to get around Yuuichirou without looking at him because she knew she'd punch him right in the face.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He grabbed her arm and stopped her. "What are you talking about? What do you mean I'm not going to be around anymore?" He let her go. " Are… are you telling me to leave?" _She must be madder than I thought about the kiss,_ he thought. He was really starting to worry.

"If you want to leave, then by all means!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Do whatever you want, it's your life! Go be the president and run your dad's big fancy company and marry Akiko for all I care!" Once Rei started yelling, there was no stopping her.

"What? Run what? Marry who?" Yuuichirou stuttered. He ran his hand through his short hair. "Rei-chan, could you please tell me what the hell you are talking about. I don't think I'm on the same page as you. In fact, I think I'm reading a completely different book." Yuuichirou was so confused. Of all the people in the world, he had to go and fall in love with the craziest one of them all. _What I'd give to have an instruction book for her, _he thought.

"You going off and running the company after your father. I'm glad that you've reconciled your differences with him and all, I really am, but if you were just going to end up taking it over, why even bother trying to be a priest all these years? I mean, it was all a waste of time! You strung us all along this lie and then you just bail! Think about what you're doing to Grandpa! You're the first apprentice he's had in years and you're just going to leave him. You owe him better than that after all this time." Rei looked at him right in the eyes now and held firm. "I didn't think you were capable of doing this to us, but I was wrong." Rei tried again to get past Yuuichirou, but he stepping in front of her again, grabbing her by her arms and standing her in front of him.

"Who says I'm leaving?" He let her go. "I never said I was leaving." He looked down at the ground. "Rei-chan, if this is some elaborate attempt to try to get me to leave, you can stop right now. Just tell me outright that you want me to leave and I will." He was still a bit confused about what Rei was talking about. He still thought she was mad about the kiss and that this was her way of telling him to get lost.

"Like I said, do whatever you want. It's your life," she said in the most serious tone.

"Ugh!" Yuuichirou yelled. He put his hands on his head and nearly pulled his hair out. Thank goodness it was so short, otherwise he probably would have. "Just tell me how you feel! Sometimes you can be so cold! If you want me to leave, I will, if it will make you happy. And I am not running the business! Where the hell did you get that?"

"You told me that last night!" she yelled defensively.

"I never said I was gonna run the entire circus! I'm just gonna own it! And I'm sure as hell not leaving!"

"That doesn't make ANY sense!" The two were still screaming at each other.

Yuuichirou took a deep breath to calm down. "My dad gave me a choice: own it and get a piece of the revenue or control it and get an even bigger cut. I chose to own it. I didn't want either, I wanted things to stay the way they already were, but I had to choose to make my dad happy. The earnings I'll get will be enough to take care of the shrine when I become a priest. It will be enough to take care of you, so I was happy to take it. But now, it looks like you don't want me there anymore."

Rei stared open-mouthed at Yuuichirou. _So he's not leaving after all?_ She thought about their conversion and realized how insane she must have sounded. She felt like such a jerk. She shouldn't have jumped to such crazy conclusions. It wasn't like her to lose her head like that.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Rei said with a softer tone.

"Does that mean you want me to stay?" Yuuichirou asked, hope dripping from every word.

She didn't answer. She wouldn't even look at him. She was scared to answer truthfully.

"Just to let you know," Yuuichirou said, "if you were to tell me you wanted me to stay, I would never leave. I'd stay forever and never abandon you."

That statement stabbed her in the heart. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them spill over. She'd been abandoned before by her own father. He dumped her with Grandpa as soon as she was old enough and she hadn't seen or talked to him much since then. She'd never really forgiven him, even though she knew her life was a thousand times better than it would be with if she was still with him. She'd stayed distant from boys because if she was abandoned a second time, she knew she wouldn't be able to take it. And here Yuuichirou was, giving her false hope.

He sensed her distress and moved closer to her, putting his hands on her arms. "You know, it's usually the guys who don't talk about their feelings," Yuuichirou teased. "But I don't have a problem talking about mine. I want to stay with you. I want to be with you. I'd give up everything to be with you. I already have." He looked at her with every ounce of his love pouring out of his eyes.

She looked back at him at an utter loss of words. Her mind went completely blank. He took another step and closed the gap between them, his hands still on her arms. He searched her eyes for any kind of answer, but only found himself mesmerized by them. He noticed her slightly pink cheeks and wondered for a spit second if it was from the cold or from something else. For the second time, he felt the urge to kiss her, even though she rejected him the first time. He leaned in slowly, getting closer to her lips. Rei's heart beat increased dramatically. He was now inches from her lips when he paused for a moment. This was exactly the position they were in last time before she pulled away. After a moment of hesitation, mainly because he was afraid she'd pull away again; Yuuichirou closed the gap between them and brushed her lips with his in the gentlest kiss.

He pulled back and looked at her. When she didn't say anything, he dropped his hands from her arms and looked down, completely dejected. She didn't have to say anything for him to know she didn't want him. He started to turn around and leave forever when a hand grabbed his arm.

"I want you to stay," Rei whispered. She was still scared about getting hurt and talking about her feelings, but she realized when Yuuichirou kissed her that it would hurt more to have never tried falling in love at all. She stepped closer to him and put her hands on his broad shoulders. She got on her tip toes and returned his kiss.

Yuuichirou couldn't describe the happiness that coursed though his veins. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her with so much passion that he had to tighten his grip around her so she wouldn't fall backwards. Rei wrapped her arms around his neck and welcomed the sweet intrusion in her mouth. She let herself be washed away in the most passionate kiss she'd ever had. Yuuichirou was in heaven and was afraid that if he let her go, it would all vanish.

After a moment that seemed like forever, they finally broke their kiss, breathing deeply, but didn't let each other go. Yuuichirou rested his forehead on hers, noses touching, and eyes closed.

"I guess that means you want to be with me too," Yuuichirou said huskily, smiling at the girl who held his heart.

"Good guess," she smiled back.

* * *

AN: Thank you all for reading!!! Please review!!!! I want to know what you all thought. Any comments welcome, even some mean ones, although not as welcome. I want to know what you guys liked so that I know what to write about in my other stories. (In case anyone was wondering, the song Rei sings is Love Story by Taylor Swift.) I just wanted to thank kaleidoscope moon for reading and editing all my chapters. I'll be co-writing a story with her in the future, so that will be exciting! I'm off to work on another story!


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